Editorial News of Friday, 17 August 2001

Source: UN Integrated Regional Information Network

AIDS Prevention Campaign Launched

An HIV/AIDS prevention project was launched this week in Accra, reported the 'Accra Mail' on Thursday. The programme, with the theme "Change for Good", is designed to encourage behavioural change among the youth who are known to be most vulnerable to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

British Airways and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) are sponsoring the project. Peer educators from the Youngsters Peer Education Project (YPEP) and Muslim Family Counselling Services (MFCS) have been trained to embark upon HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns at grassroots level. Parents, religious bodies and community leaders have also been encouraged to ensure that young people receive accurate information on HIV/AIDS and reliable reproductive services. The first phase of the project will start with the city's three most densely populated communities.