General News of Sunday, 29 December 2002

Source: gna

Ashaiman herbalist educates visiting port cargo drivers on AIDS

In view of the number of foreigners who frequent the Tema port in recent times to discharge goods, a herbalist has volunteered to embark on education on the HIV/AIDS pandemic at the port.

His target groups are foreign drivers and their agents from some Westn African countries, who wait for days at the port until their goods are discharged before returning to their countries.

Dr. Sylvanus Somevi, a herbalist based at Ashaiman said he has taken the move to educate the visiting drivers and their agents on the existence of the disease as a reminder to them to control their sexual habits or else insist on the use of the condom for protection.

Since the mutiny in neighbouring Cote D'Ivoire, vessels have diverted their route through the Tema port to discharge their cargo. Foreign drivers and their agents from the sub-region who accompany the cargo, convey them to the various destinations, especially to the landlocked countries.

Until the goods are discharged, drivers and their agents continue to wait and during this period some allegedly indulge in immoral activities and asked them to engage in productive activities so that their attention would not be distracted by women.

While urging the foreigners to be disciplined, Dr Somevi, a bilingual, advised prostitutes to refrain from frequenting the port to engage in immoral activities.

He said their behaviour is likely to contribute to the already alarming rate at which people were being infected with the HIV/AIDS that is claiming lives at a fast rate.

The herbalist advised the public, whose relatives have fallen victims to the AIDS to have compassion on them to encourage them to be part of society.