Nkwanta, (V/R), Jan. 1, GNA - Mr Nicholas Ahadjie, Nkwanta Area Development Manager of World Vision International (WVI), has called for new methodologies to check the rapid spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. He said unless the situation was checked the country's human resource base would be broken, thereby slowing the pace of development. Mr Ahadjie expressed the concern at a three-day capacity building trainer of trainers workshop organized by his organization for 100 facilitators drawn from the Nkwanta District. He exhorted the youth to practice sexual abstinence, be faithful to their partners and to use condoms in case they were unable to take the first two precautionary measures when confronted with the urge for casual sex.

Mr Ahadjie called for collaboration among non-governmental organizations, community and faith based organizations, chiefs and other opinion leaders in dealing with the menace from the community level. Mr Renner Noah Awatey, a facilitator advised patrons of barbering shops to insist on the observance of safety standards when they sought service at such facilities. He said the pieces of foam or tissues used by barbers in cleaning the hair off their patrons' heads could prove to be dangerous as far as HIV/AIDS was concerned.

Dr Augustus Tetteh, Medical Officer in charge of the Saint Joseph's Hospital at Nkwanta recommended voluntary testing as a means of setting one's mind at ease on one's HIV status. Meanwhile, about 70 American Peace Corps volunteers are expected to embark on a six-day community education on HIV/AIDS in 40 remote communities in the Nkwanta District using bicycles. Miss Sayward Fehman, volunteer in charge of the programme, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview, "it is comparatively apparent that people who are in remote villages of the District know very little about the HIV/AIDS pandemic".