Kokompe (W/R), Aug. 10, GNA - Only fifteen men voluntarily tested to verify their HIV/AIDS status between January and July this year at the Kokompe Male Clinic.

Mrs Abigail Ogunro-Yorke, an Assistant Project Officer of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) Male Clinic at Kokompe near Takoradi, made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Kokompe.

She said though many people patronised the voluntary counselling sessions at the clinic, many refused to test for their HIV/AIDS status out of fear.

Mrs Ogunro-Yorke said the PPAG conducted both individual and group counselling and testing and added that those who were detected to have contracted the virus were referred to the nearest hospital or organisations involved in providing care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS.

She said the PPAG clinic at Kokompe had started the Life Planning Skills (LPS) training programme for the youth in the Western Region and added that the youth were educated on HIV/AIDS, peer pressure, character formation, hygiene and other health related topics to prepare them to make the appropriate choice alone.

Mrs Ogunro-Yorke said, apart from the LPS programme, some youths were also being trained as peer educators to assist in training and disseminating information to their colleagues on the HIV/AIDS and its effects.

She appealed to churches, non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to sponsor the youths to undergo the LPS project.