Ejisu (Ash), April 7, GNA - The Juaben Government Hospital recorded 22 new HIV/AIDS cases between January and February this year. Seventeen out of the number were females, according to Mr George Padmore Mensah, the Ejisu-Juaben District Focal Person on AIDS. He said statistics indicated that 82 per cent of commercial sex workers in Kumasi were infected with the disease and advised the use of condoms for those who could not abstain from premarital sex and couples who could not be faithful to their partners.

Dr Badu Sarkodie, District Director of Health Services, said a recent survey indicated that about 71 per cent of male adults in the country do not perceive themselves as being at risk of contracting the disease.

He said misconception about the disease was a stumbling block inhibiting behavioural change among the people, adding that the inability of the people to change their attitudes were having a serious implication on the preventive efforts of the National AIDS Control Programme.

Dr Sarkodie advised the participants to abstain from unprotected and casual sex to avoid contracting the disease. He also advised barbers and hairdressers to sterilise their instruments in order not to transmit the disease to people.