Eight Out of 10 Sex Workers Have Aids

The Ashanti Regional Deputy Director of Health, Dr. Kyei Farid, has disclosed that out of every 10 commercial sex workers screened, eight are HIV/AIDS positive. He said it is pathetic that even though we are living in a world which is witnessing the HIV/AIDS menace, many people do not consider the risk associated with promiscuity.

Dr. Farid made this known during the Mutual Health Organisation Sensitisation Day organised by Micro-Care Ghana, in conjunction with Aninwah Medical Centre in Kumasi. He condemned the public's perception that only women are prostitutes, adding that had it not been the male prostitutes who visit the women, there would not have been any commercial sex in the system. Farid revealed that the Ministry of Health has negotiated with CEDEP to provide funds for the infected prostitutes so they do not engage in commercial sex to spread the disease.

Rev. Kofi Boateng Adade, member of Micro-Care Ghana, expressed fears that if care is not taken, HIVAIDS would affect the economy even more seriously. He said it is high time Ghanaians joined the crusade to promote the use of condoms to reduce the spread of the menace. Adade cautioned that the disease is no respecter of persons and lamented that about 1,948 children have become orphans and, therefore, a burden on the nation as a result of HIV/AIDS. He advised the youth to refrain from abortion since doctors have no time to sterilize the instruments after being used on one person to the other. According to him, this contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS menace and must be stopped.