Elmina, Dec. 13, GNA - Nana Ato Arthur, The Central Regional Minister, on Tuesday called on stakeholders in the fight against HIV/AIDS to use this year's World AIDS Day celebration to step up their outreach programmes to help reduce the spread of the virus. He appealed to them to come out with pragmatic programmes and strategies that would help reduce its spread in the Central Region. Nana Arthur said this at a youth forum organized by "STOPAIDS" Ghana, a local non-governmental organization, as part of activities to mark World AIDS Day.

The minister expressed concern about the attitude and behaviour of people and said it was imperative for the public to attach seriousness to stem the spread of the virus.

He said the government was spending huge sums of money through the AIDS Commission to curb the spread of the virus and called on the youth to make use of t he statistics and information on the virus to stop its spread.

Mr Joseph Arthur, the Coordinator of STOPAIDS Ghana, said it was the aim of the NGO to increase awareness on HIV/AIDS and other sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDS) and also to encourage healthy sexual behaviour among the youth.

He said lectures, symposia, workshops and door to door counseling were held for the youth in Western, Central and Northern regions.