Fight HIV/AIDS through improving well being

Accra, Aug. 16 GNA - The Accra Metropolitan Coordinator of the National Youth Council (NYC), Mr Bright Asare says the arsenal in fight against HIV/AIDS should include improving the socio-economic well being of the youth

He said although the challenge for Ghana today was to curb the HIV/AIDS to preserve the future of the youth, the health authorities were concentrating much of their efforts on the health implications. Mr Asare, who was speaking to GNA said the HIV/AIDS was a problem with an economic undertone, among many other causes, especially with regard to the youth.

He said youth unemployment had forced many of them onto the street to struggle for their daily bread and this exposed them to great risk adding that some become careless with their lives, making them vulnerable in the bid to survive.

Mr Asare said an effective strategy to combat HIV/AIDS was the one that recognized the fact that self-respect; worth; values and morals normally crumbled under the pressure of poverty and deprivation. Mr Samuel Ashietey, Metropolitan Public Relation Officer of NYC, said poverty and associated hopelessness had ripped of self-respect and self worth from a lot of the young people.

"We must now redefine the whole concept of HIV/AIDS prevention to have youth employment as one of the basic and key words in that strategy. If we combine this with the other causes too we would have very little to worry about", he said.