HIV/AIDS is spreading fast- Counsellor

The Ho District Hospital records between 22 and 25 HIV/AIDS patients are reported weekly, Mrs Mabel Klutse, an HIV/AIDS Counsellor disclosed this on Wednesday.

She said the disease was spreading at an alarming rate and if care was not taken, the situation would get out of hand. Mrs Klutse was addressing a one-day seminar for the Ho District Council of Labour on the dangers of HIV/AIDS.

She reminded the public that there was no cure for the disease and that those who claimed to have the cure must be treating only the symptoms. She said promiscuity among the youth is on the ascendancy adding that if they wanted life to be rosy for them, then they must avoid having sex indiscriminately.

Mr Harry Peterson, Volta Regional Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said the congress was educating its members on occupational health hazards and safety to minimise the rate of accidents at workplaces. He said labour statistics showed that there were 75 work-related deaths and 1,622 accidents between 1997 and 1999.

Mr Peterson noted that lack of funds and logistics have affected the performance of the Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment and urged the government to address the problem. He called on workers to be punctual at their workplaces and work hard to facilitate development and growth of the economy.