The Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate on Monday said more women in Ghana’s maritime and industrial hub tested positive for the Human Immune Virus (HIV) during the first half of 2014, compared to their male counterparts.

A total of 332 women aged between 20 and 39 years tested positive as against the 184 positive cases recorded for males.

Mrs Judith Amo-Mensah, the Deputy Director Nursing Service (DDNS) Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, said 1,445 females were tested during the period 1,186 males had the test.

Mrs Amo-Mensah said 20 out of the total number of people tested positive to HIV died during the period.

She gave the figures on Monday during the Tema Metropolitan's Commemoration of the World Aids Day which is celebrated every December 1.

She said 288 of them were also screened for tuberculosis and 169 were put on the Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART).

Mrs Amo-Mensah said 2.8 per cent prevalence rate in the Tema Metropolis was higher than the 1.3 and 2.7 per cent prevalence for national and Greater Accra Region respectively.

The prevalence rate in Tema has been fluctuating from 4.0, 2.8, 2.2, 3.6 and 2.8 per cents in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 in that order.

She explained that Tema being a harbour city in which a lot of human interaction takes place contributed greatly to the high prevalence rate.

Mrs Ano-Mensah appealed to residents to voluntarily visit designated health centres in the metropolis to check for their status.

She said People Living with HIV and AIDS could get the antiretroviral treatment at the Tema General Hospital, Tema Policlinic, Narh-Bita Hospital and Port Medical Centre.

Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, in a speech read on his behalf said the Assembly would use the day to reflect on its responsibilities and commitments to sustain the decentralised response of HIV.

Mr Odamtten appealed to the youth to observe good moral standards and said "If you the youth in school do not behave responsibly but rather prefer to be sexual explorers, then the disease is also waiting out there or such persons".