Tepa (Ash), Jan. 28, GNA- Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, on Friday appealed to the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), to assist herbalists who claimed to have cure to HIV/AIDS, to develop their herbs instead of discouraging them with negative remarks.

He said the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) was ready to assist any such people and urged them to contact the Council. The Regional Minister made this appeal in a keynote address delivered at the celebration of the Ashanti Regional World AIDS Day at Tepa, in the Ahafo-Ano North District of Ashanti Region. The RCC and the district assembly jointly organized the celebration, which was under the theme, "Stop AIDS, Keep The Promise". Mr Boafo said with no treatment or cure to HIV/AIDS in sight, the only way to fight the menace was for all Ghanaians to adopt positive behaviour pattern and lifestyles that will free them from getting infected with the disease, whiles loving and caring for people living with the disease.

He said even though the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the country had gone down from 3.6 per cent to 3.1 per cent, the rate stood at 4.8 per cent at Obuasi and Asante-Mampong, which were over and above the national prevalence rate.

Mrs Elizabeth Adentwi, the District Director of Health Services, urged Ghanaians, especially pregnant women and the youth to opt for voluntary counselling and HIV/AIDS test to enable them know their HIV/AIDS status.

Nana Adusei Atwenewah Ampem, Omanhene of Tepa, who chaired the function, appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to train special teachers to handle HIV/AIDS programmes in the districts. 28 Jan. 06