Tema, Sept 17, GNA - The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) continues to be a health threat in the Tema Metropolis and presently the third leading cause of death among ten diseases. Last year 56 people reportedly died through the disease which has also so far claimed 41 lives in the first half of this year, 2008. Also the city scored a higher prevalence rate of 2.2 percent against the national rate of 1.9 percent in 2007.

This situation, the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) attributed to risky sexual behaviour and appealed to the residents to take stock of their lifestyles to put the city rate at par with the national, so as to ensure an overall success at curbing the spread of the pandemic. Mrs Felicia Okai, Health Coordinator of the TMA told a capacity building workshop for non-governmental, community based, civil society and faith based organizations on Wednesday that, the prevalence rate, though dwindling, kept fluctuating since 2004. In 2004, the prevalence rate for the metropolis was 5.4 percent which dropped to 2.2 in 2005; it however increased to 3.6 in 2006 which was above the national and regional rate of 3.2 and 3.4 percent respectively.

Mrs Okai said multiple sexual partners was still a risky factor, as a number of people, both male and female changed sexual partners more than once in a year. She said education was still important to change unhealthy lifestyles and appealed to the media to give their support to the Assembly and organizations in their educational campaigns. Women, she said, should be empowered financially and educated to negotiate safe sex as a way of reducing infection.

The TMA Health Coordinator reiterated the need for residents to either abstain or be faithful to one un-infected partner. She said sexually active people must use condom consistently and correctly, they must also desist from sharing needles and blades with people, in addition to being ever conscious. Mr Kweku Akpotoso, Coordinating Director of TMA encouraged participants to educate the public on the pandemic to help curb the metropolis prevalence rate. Mr Akpotoso noted that the disease was no longer a clinical issue but a social one as it affected every sector of the economy.