119,410 AIDS orphans recorded in the country

ADANKWAME,Ghana -- One Hundred and nineteen thousand, four hundred and ten AIDS-related orphan cases have been recorded from the various hospitals in the country as at November this year.

The Rev. Kofi Boateng, Director of African Christian Home and Rehabilitation Centre, a local NGO, said the data was obtained from hospital records of people who died at the hospitals, after they have been proved positive to the HIV/AIDS.

He was speaking to newsmen at Adankwame, near Barekese in the Atwima District during the launching of the Ashanti Region World AIDS Day, which was organised by the Centre for the Development of People and other local NGOs at the weekend.

The theme for the celebration was, "AIDS, Men Make a Difference--I care, Do You", with the sub-theme, Nananom, break the Silence".

It and was attended by chiefs, assembly members, teachers, chiefs, religious organisations and representatives of non-governmental organisations.

Rev. Boateng expressed regret that many people refuse to disclose a dead victim of the AIDS disease because of the dehumanising effect it brings to the family, saying, "this is setting back the whole HIV/AIDS campaign in the country".

He said the only way to prevent the HIV/AIDS disease is for people, both young and old to change their sexual attitudes. They should use condoms, abstain from sex or keep to one partner.

He stressed the extension of the HIV/AIDS campaign to the rural areas where the affluent carriers in the cities go during week-ends or funerals to spread it to the innocent young ones.

Mr. Charles Yeboah, Atwima District Executive (DCE), told the people, especially the youth that the disease is real and that, apart from abstaining from sex to prevent AIDS virus, it could also prevent them from teenage pregnancy.

He said, the District Assembly is giving serious attention to the campaign against the dreadful disease and appealed to chiefs, teachers, assembly members and other opinion leaders in the district to help prevent the spread of the disease.