HIV Caravan arrives at Elubo

Elubo, (W/R), Oct. 2, GNA - The Love Life Caravan, an HIV/AIDS awareness group which operates across Trans-Sahara Africa to sensitize people about the disease arrived in Ghana from Cote D'Ivoire on Thursday.

The caravan was handed over by Dr Marcelli Aye, Ivorian President of Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organisation (ALCO), to his Ghanaian counterpart Mr Augustine Appiah at Elubo on Thursday. This is the fourth time the caravan is arriving in Ghana and is on the theme "Universal Access for an HIV/AIDS-Free Corridor; Time to make a Difference."

Mr Harvey De Hart-Kaffils, Communications Specialist of ALCO, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said that the caravan was expected to drive across five countries namely Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.

He said it would educate the public, especially commercial sex workers, market women, security personnel and drivers on the need to know their HIV status in order to plan their future positively. He said he was amazed at the warm reception given to the caravan by the Ghanaian authorities and the public. "The warm reception given to the caravan shows how serious Ghanaians are tackling HIV and this really needs to be commended," he said. The caravan was paraded through the town after which a Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) was organised to assist the people to know their status. At the time of departure, 60 people had gone for the test. The caravan will leave Ghana on October 2 after visiting Takoradi, Cape Coast, Accra, Tema, Ketu and Aflao before continuing to Togo. 02 Oct. 09