Afrancho concerned citizens organises workshop for AIDS volunteers

Afrancho (Ash), Dec 2, GNA - The Afrancho Concerned Citizens, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has organised a three-day workshop on HIV/AIDS for 30 volunteers as part of its awareness programme.

The volunteers were drawn from Afrancho, Mankraso, Srentiantia, Mpaepaemu and Yaakwayem.

They were taken through information, education and communication, behaviour change communication and behaviour change intervention. It was sponsored by the Ghana AIDS Commission.

Addressing the closing session, Mr Robert Kwame Adu, chairman of the Afrancho Concerned Citizens, told the volunteers that they had a heavy responsibility on their shoulders.

He pointed out to them that even though the education and awareness campaigns on the pandemic had been intensified, the disease was still spreading at an alarming rate.

This, Mr Adu said, therefore, called for a shift of strategy to focus on total abstinence and urged them particularly those from the rural communities to educate the people on the dangers of indiscriminate sex.

He promised the volunteers material support to enhance their work so that sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS could be reduced in the area particularly Afrancho.

Mr Chirigah, the medical assistant in-charge of the Akomadan health centre, commended the participants for volunteering to assist in the fight against the disease, which he noted, was spreading very fast. He, however, warned them not to pose as medical personnel in their communities to cheat the people but should educate them on the disease and how to protect themselves.