Don't stigmatise HIV/AIDS patients

Obuasi (Ash), May 11, GNA- The public has been urged to avoid stigmatising people living with the HIV/AIDS.

Miss Georgina Oklu, Deputy Director, Nursing Services in-charge of Adansi West district, said the level of compassion the public showed to the victims would help check the spread of the disease.

Speaking at the launch of HIV/AIDS campaign programme at Ahansoyewodea, a suburb of Obuasi by Youth Alive Foundation (YAF), an NGO, Miss Oklu said the rate at which the pandemic was spreading called for couples to demonstrate faithfulness to each other.

The campaign had the theme: "HIV/AIDS Menace And The Youth Of Today".

She advised the youth to avoid multiple sex partners.

Miss Oklu said since the use of condom could not guarantee safety, there was the need to emphasise on abstinence. Mr Edward Osei, the District Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) Monitoring and Evaluation focal Person, announced that 88 new HIV/AIDS cases have been recorded within the first quarter of the year at Obuasi.

He said nine community-Based Organisations (CBOs) were being assisted financially by the Commission to undertake a six-month HIV/AIDS project.

Mr Solomon Panford, President of Youth Alive Foundation, said the foundation aimed at coming out with educational programmes that would help fight the disease.