Nana Agyin Frimpong, Chief of Old Tafo in Kumasi, has said the high rate of HIV/AIDS infection among the youth could be attributed to the belief that the pandemic does not exist.

He, therefore, called for more intensive campaigns about the reality of the virus to help the youth change their lifestyles.

Nana Agyin Frimpong was addressing the Old Tafo Christian Youth Association who converged at the palace after staging a two-hour anti-HIV/AIDS demonstration through some of the principal streets of Old Tafo, as part of their efforts to join the awareness creation crusade against the pandemic.

The demonstrators, made up of the youth of churches in the area, carried placards some of which read, "Beware of AIDS", "Abstain Now", "Don't dig your own grave" and "AIDS is real".

The Tafohene commended the group for their initiative to educate their peers on the AIDS menace and called on traditional rulers to set up virgin clubs to help fight the disease.

Mr Gilbert Nti, President of the Association, said Tafo was chosen for the programme because of its dense population.

He expressed dissatisfaction about most of the advertisements on AIDS, which stressed more on the use of condoms and less on total abstinence.