Condom Use Rises By 70per cent

The sale of condoms has increased by about 70% since the start of the "Love Life, Stop AIDS" campaign. The campaign involves Ghanaian musicians carrying the message on audio and video through highlife, hip-life, reggae and gospel. This was a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Health, Ghana Social Marketing Foundation (GSMF) and the Johns Hopkins University in the USA with funding from USAID.

According to the GSMF, the largest suppliers of condoms in the country, their sale of condoms has increased by 70% since the start of the campaign. It was in recognition of the danger to the productive group of society that Cabinet went on a two-day retreat to Akosombo on Saturday to discuss policy matters on HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS in Ghana was first recorded in Ghana in 1986, mainly among women who had travelled outside the country but by the end of June 2000, 40,029 cases were recorded, a figure regarded as frightening by the Minister of Health, Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo when he addressed the opening ceremony. The Minister said that though the statistics were alarming, it was a way of sensitising the people to be careful and take steps to reverse the trend.

Out of the 34.3 million estimated AIDS cases in the world as at June 2000, Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for over 24.5 million and 15,000 are estimated to be infected daily worldwide. Over a million children in Africa below the age of 15 are living with the virus out of 1.3 million across the globe.

The Guest of Honour, Dr. (Mrs.) Mary Grant, member of the Council of State charged religious leaders to educate their members on the HIV/AIDS scourge. Dr. Grant formally inaugurated the Ghana AIDS Commission, which is charged with the responsibility of formulating policies and programmes aimed at stemming the menace of AIDS in the country.

Uganda is the only country in Africa that has actually reversed the percentage in the rise in HIV/AIDS infection. In recognition of this, the Ghana AIDS Commission invited the chairman of the Uganda AIDS Commission, Bishop Emeritus Barnabas Halem'Imana to the retreat.

In his welcome address, the Minister of Communications, John Mahama, MP emphasised the urgent need to check the rapid spread of the HIV/AIDS disease and the need for sensitisation at the highest levels of government. He said that though HIV/AIDS has not emerged as a significant issue in the December elections, he was certain that, "in the next 5-10 years HIV/AIDS will be the single most important crisis that confronts our nation."

Mr. A.S. Fawundu, the UN Resident Representative in Ghana said that the world organisation is concerned about HIV/AIDS taking a heavy toll on human productivity and is altering the economic and social fabric of society in many areas.