KNUST to set up centre for HIV/AIDS study

Kumasi, Sept 30, GNA- The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is to set up a centre in December to research into finding a cure for HIV/AIDS.

The centre, to be called "University Centre for HIV/AIDS Study", will collaborate with indigenous herbalists to do an extensive research into the disease with the view to getting people especially the youth to adopt less risk behaviours.

Professor Kwesi Akwansa Andam, Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, who told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi on Monday, said the Ghana AIDS Commission would sponsor the activities of the centre.

He said a research team comprising scientists from the University's Medical School and Faculty of Sciences, was liasing with experts from the country's hospitals to draw up the structure of the centre.

Professor Andam said the proposed centre will also look at the on-going research being done on voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), nutrition and care in order to get Ghanaians well informed and educated on the pandemic.

He conceded that though the rate of infection in the country has reduced, there was still a lot more to be done to further reduce the infection rate.

"A cross section of the populace still do not believe in the existence of the pandemic and this attitude is bound to destroy the society if nothing is done about it".

Professor Andam said there was no known cure for AIDS and warned the youth to appreciate sexual abstinence as the only way out.