Wa Municipality records sharp drop in HIV prevalence

WA, Nov. 19, GNA - The Wa Municipality recorded a drop in HIV prevalence rate from 5.8 per cent to 2.0 per cent, a sentinel survey report from the Ministry of Health has indicated.

The report showed that since the inception of the national HIV strategic framework II in January 2006, the disease prevalence rate in the Municipality has improved.

This was made known at a day's refresher course organised by the Wa Municipal Anti HIV Committee for 50 coordinators of the School Health Programme (SHEP) drawn from Junior High Schools in the Municipality. The workshop, apart from updating the participants on current strategies in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic, was also aimed at encouraging teachers to continue to educate students on the disease. Mr Michael Bayel, Wa Municipal Monitoring and evaluation Focal Person on HIV/AIDS, attributed the drastic decline to increased awareness creation programmes by Non Governmental Organisations in the Municipality. The Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA) engaged by the Ghana AIDS Commission and the Wa Municipal Assembly to undertake HIV programmes also contracted Sunbawiera Foundation and Youth Alive, both local NGOs, to help in fighting the disease.

He said although the Ministries of Health and Agriculture and the Ghana Education Service never reported their activities to the Assembly, they nevertheless, also helped a great deal to reduce the prevalence of the disease in the Municipality. Mr Duogu Yakubu, Wa Municipal Chief Executive said bad attitudes and behaviours contributed significantly to the present HIV situation in the country and advised the youth to be sensitive to good moral values.