Techiman (B/A), Sept. 16, GNA - Ahenbronoso Care Foundation, an NGO based in Techiman has referred 40 out of 61 persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) under its care, to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. Ten out of the number have died, whilst 15 are under anti-re-troviral drugs.

Mr Davis Boamah-Asumadu, Executive Director of the Foundation disclosed this at a two-day workshop and counselling for 30 PLWHA at Techiman.

The workshop was organized by the Foundation under the auspices of the Ghana AIDS Commission with the objective of educating the infected persons on their nutrition and medication needs. Mr Boamah said the NGO had received 220 million cedis towards the maintenance, organization of workshops and the provision of drugs to the PLWHA.

"The Foundation has drawn up a programme of meeting the infected persons regularly to identify problems that confront them", he added. He assured the participants of the NGO's readiness of maintaining confidentiality as a means of streamlining stigmatization.

Mr Stephen Agyeman-Badu, Techiman Municipal HIV/AIDS focal person called on victims of HIV/AIDS to intensify the use of garlic, which he said could fight many germs including those that caused cardiovascular diseases.

He appealed to religious leaders to encourage their congregations to welcome PLWHA and to make sure they remained part of the community. Mr Wilfred Dery, a medical social worker and counsellor at the Techiman Holy Family Hospital, speaking on the topic "Home Base Care", urged the victims to continue to feed on balanced diet as the natural way of boosting the immune system.

He advised them to maintain personal and environmental hygiene to minimize infections.