Sunyani, Sept 3, GNA- Mr Yaw Adjei Duffuor, Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, on Wednesday expressed concern about the increasing spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.
He said the alarming rate of the spread would affect the country's investment "since it is those who constitute the working force who are dying of the pandemic."
The Deputy Regional Minister was addressing a meeting of staff of the National Disaster and Management Organization (NADMO) in Brong Ahafo to educate them on the dangers of the disease.
Mr Adjei-Duffour said some non-governmental organizations have created awareness "but people are not taking heed and the rate of infection continues to increase."
He said the crusade against the disease is necessary to educate those who are ready to change their sexual behaviours and called on all organizations to join hands in waging the war against it.
Mr Williams Sopiimeh, Regional AIDS Coordinator, said HIV prevalence rate among blood donors in the region has increased steadily. He said 2.97 percent and 3.0 percent were recorded in 2000 and 2001 respectively in the region.
In 2002, it went up to 3.36 per cent, adding that 234 (3.7 per cent) out of 6,350 blood donors screened from January to June this year were positive.
He said AIDS in the region is fast becoming alarming and that all efforts are needed to check it.
Mr Sopiimeh said the cost of anti-retroviral treatment is even higher than an ordinary treatment and added that it cost about 45 million cedis for treatment of a patient per year.
''If nothing serious is done to curb the spread of the pandemic it will pose a serious setback to the health insurance programmes of the government", he said.
