Bishopo commends government on HIV/AIDS COMBAT

Agona Swedru (C/R), Feb. 14, GNA - The Senior Bishop's Deputy of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Right Reverend Dr Godfred Zormelo, has commended the government for the serious efforts it is making to reduce the spread and the devastating effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

He however, urged the government to provide the Information Services Department equipment and other logistics to launch intensive rural and school-to-school education on the pandemic.

Rt. Rev. Dr Zormelo was closing a three-day annual conference of the Women's Fellowship of the A.M.E. Zion Church at Agona Swedru at the weekend. More than 1,000 members of the fellowship from the Southern Sector of the Church attended the conference, which discussed matters pertaining to the development of the church and the nation. Rt. Rev. Dr Zormelo said if information vans are made available to go round from village to village and to various secondary and tertiary institutions to screen pictures of severely affected AIDS victims it would have more impact on the awareness campaign being pursued by AIDS educators in the regions.

He cited achievements chalked by the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development's collaboration with the Information Services Department during the mass education campaign in the early 50s to the first quarter of 1960s, and expressed optimism that the nation could achieve similar feat in the HIV/AIDS campaign if it adopts similar method.

Rev. Dorothy Dennis, Field Officer and General Manager of the A.M.E. Zion Church Education Unit, cautioned the youth in the various religious organizations against the disease and advised youth leaders in churches and Islamic movement to form education clubs to supplement AIDS awareness campaigners.

She charged Christian parents to help educate their adolescent children to avoid sexual practices that could lead them into contracting the dreadful disease.

The Administrative Assistant of the Church, Rev. John N. Commey, announced that the Conference has contributed 15 million cedis to assist branches at Agona Nsaba, Gomoa Afransi and other communities in the Agona District complete their school projects.