Available records show that the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the Tano South district has been increasing steadily over the past two years.

In 2004, the district recorded 63 cases as against 86 cases in 2005. The most worrying aspect is that most of the affected fall within the 30-40 years bracket!

The revelation was made by Mr. Duut Bedima, the Tano South District Health Director at the district?s 2005 annual health performance review meeting at Bechem.

The health director noted that children aged less that four years, tested positive.

He attributed the situation to mother- to- child transmission and called on the District AIDS Response Team to meet speedily on the issue.

He announced that a Voluntary Counselling and Testing Center(VCT), would be established this year at the Bechem hospital in an effort to scale down the epidemic.

Mr. Bedima urged the youth to lead decent lives to avoid contracting the disease since the nation needs a healthy youth to adequately develop.