School children call for compulsory HIV test for tourists

Koforidua, Nov. 19, GNA- School children in the New Juaben Municipality have called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure compulsory HIV test for all tourists visiting the country.

The call was made at a day's seminar organised by the New Juaben Traditional Council for selected schools in the municipality on Wednesday. It had the topic: "Promoting Tourism and Preventing AIDS in a clean environment", and formed part of activities marking the 125th anniversary of the settlement of the people of New Juaben after migrating from Asante in 1878.

Koforidua, the capital of the New Juaben Traditional Area, has the highest HIV prevalence rate of 8.5 in the country.

The children also called on the New Juaben Municipal Assembly to frequently remove refuse containers in the municipality and provide refuse bins at vantage places for solid waste, especially water sachets which, they said had become a nuisance in the area.

Professor Patrick Adubofuo-Twumasi, a former diplomat and consultant to the World Health Organisation (WHO), urged the youth of Koforidua to welcome tourists into Koforidua but should be careful in the way they interact with them since any unprotected sexual relationship could lead to the contraction of the HIV virus.

He said the belief of some people that they have some magical powers against the HIV/AIDS disease was dangerous and could thwart efforts of controlling the menace.

Mr Charles Obeng of the Ghana Tourists Board (GTB) said the Board would not renew the licence of any hotel found to use the facility to promote sex tourism.

The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Kwesi Adjei Boateng, said the Assembly had acquired 25 dustbins to be placed at vantage places in the municipality to help keep it clean.

He said the Assembly was developing the infrastructure in the municipality to enable investors to invest in the hospitality industry and offer employment to the people.

The Eastern Regional Director of Health, Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, said between January and June, this year, the region recorded 1,260 abortions at the hospitals.

He explained that the figure meant that those involved were not prepared for the pregnancies and cautioned that such developments could expose them to the HIV/AIDS infections.

Dr Appiah-Denkyirah said around the same time, the region recorded 1,018 new HIV cases.

Dr Ben Marfo, Eastern Regional Co-ordinator of Tuberculosis (TB), said Ghana recorded about 30,000 TB cases every year, out of which 15,000 of them die.

He explained that most of the TB patients died despite the existence of a cure, because of late reporting of the cases at the hospitals.

Dr. Marfo said research conducted at the Manya Krobo District indicated that three to four of every ten persons who suffer from TB have the HIV virus. Daasebre Professor Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional area who chaired the function, advised the youth in the municipality to abstain from premarital sex and not to allow themselves, to be lured by money to enter into unsafe relationship with people.