The Apam Catholic Hospital recorded 557 HIV/AIDS cases from 1992 to 2002 with 80 cases recorded last year alone.

Mr Eric Akobeng, Gomoa District HIV/AIDS monitoring and evaluation focal persons dropped the hint at the second biennial delegates conference of the Methodist Youth Fellowship at Apam.

The theme for the conference, which was attended by delegates from 11 circuits from the Winneba diocese of the church was; The Christian youth, a strategic weapon in the fight against HIV.AIDS.

Mr Akobeng who is also the District Budget Analyst said teenage pregnancy was also on the ascendancy in the district. Out of 1539 antenatal attendants at the hospital last year 234 were girls under 20 years.

Mr Akobeng cautioned girls against parental peer and economic pressures to engage in sex to meet their needs.

He cautioned them to safeguard themselves against coercing from "sugar daddies" on the pretext of intercourse as this could lead them into trouble and endanger their future.

Mr Akobeng advised the youth to desist from alcoholism, drug addiction, watching of phonographic materials, wearing sex inducing dresses and shun promiscuous role models set by the older generation, adding that these were bedfellows and social synchronisers of HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancy.

Rt. Rev Jeremiad A Morrison, Bishop of the Winneba Diocese of the Methodist Church urged the youth to abstain from sex since AIDS had no cure.

He said there was nothing like protected sex, using condoms, adding that the only protection was to abstain from premarital sex and the married to remain faithful to their partners.