Sekyere (Ash), Jan 14, GNA - The Sekyere East District Assembly as its efforts to check the spread of HIV/AIDS in the district has allocated 15 million cedis for HIV/AIDS counselling and testing. The amount would be paid to the district hospital at Effiduasi to encourage individuals to go for HIV/AIDS counselling and testing to enable them know their health status.

Mr Philip Basoah, the District Chief Executive, disclosed this at the district's World AIDS Day celebration at Sekyere near Oyoko on Friday.

The function, attended by school children, assembly members, heads of decentralised departments and farmers, was under the theme, "Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise".

He announced that the district has since 2000 to 2005, recorded 500 cases of HIV/AIDS and described the situation as pathetic. Mr Basoah noted that the disease continues to exert heavy toll on the youth between the ages of 15 and 45 who are expected to contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the country. The DCE therefore, stressed the need for Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in the district to intensify their campaigns and sensitisation programmes to check the spread of the disease.

Mr. Basoah urged the people to adopt positive behaviour and lifestyles to avoid the spread of the disease.

Mr. Daniel Nkrumah, the District Focal Person for HIV/AIDS, said the district has so far registered 12 CBOs and four NGOs for HIV/AIDS programmes and asked them to team up with the District AIDS Committee and create the awareness about the existence of the disease and how to curb it.

Nana Kwabena Nini, chief of Sekyere, who presided at the function, appealed to the assembly to assist develop the town's scarps as tourist centre to help the assembly generate more income for its developmental purposes.