Hohoe District holds workshop on HIV/AIDS

Hohoe, Jul 11, GNA - Dr Michael Ahedor, the Hohoe District Director of Health Services, has reiterated the need for the youth to be economically empowered through skills training as a means of avoiding HIV/AIDS.

He said women were being lured into commercial sex as a means of getting start-up capital for business.

Dr Ahedor was addressing the opening of a day's workshop at Hohoe for 24 peer educators drawn from the Akpafu Odomi, Gbi Wegbe and Hohoe branches of the YMCA in the Hohoe District The workshop was organized by coalition of six NGOs including the Ghana Scouts Association, The Red Cross, Girl Guides, YMCA and the Head Of State Award Scheme.

It was under the theme "Building the capacity of the youth, a way to fight HIV/AIDS".

Dr Ahedor said too much stress on stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS might lead to complacency in the fight against the disease.

Mr Isaac Newton Addy, the Chief Scout Commissioner, said campaigning against the menace should involve the collaboration of all youth groups.

He said scouting had taken a new turn and this involves fighting the disease, poverty and ignorance. Mr Addy called on Scouts to collaborate with other youth groups to ensure a safe Ghana.

Mr Kwame Gyima, the National Chairman of the Ghana YMCA co-coordinating Committee to combat AIDS, said peer educators are expected to reach out to 120 young people every month for the next three months. 11 July 05