AIDS:400,000 Ghanaians infected...114,000 already dead

The Ghanaian Chronicle in its lead story, reports the Centre for Community Studies Action ad Development (CENCOSAD) as disclosing that 400,000 Ghanaians, between the ages of 15 and 49, are infected with the HIV virus. According to the centre, 114,000 people have died of AIDS, since the first case was detected in 1986.

The Chronicle says in a speech to mark this year's "World AIDS Day" in Accra, Dr James Annorbah-Sarpei, executive director of the centre, said in 1997alone, 24,000 people died of the disease.

He is said to have expressed concern that young Ghanaians, especially girls, have become the most vulnerable.

"In one community in Kenya, for example, 22% of girls aged15- 19, were infected with HIV compared to 4% for boys", he is quoted as saying. It was in view of this alarming picture that his organisation has teamed up UNICEF to begin a programme of HIV/AIDS awareness prevention education in schools and communities within the Accra metropolis.