Afrangua (C/R), Aug. 12, GNA - The Reverend Isaac Kwesi Gyedu, President of the Universal Christian Mission Association (UCMA), has asked Ghanaians not to attribute the HIV/AIDS pandemic to witchcraft, curses and other superstitious beliefs.

He called for concerted efforts to stem the rising infection rate. Rev. Gyedu was speaking at a workshop organised by the UCMA, a non-governmental organisation, at Afrangua, near Kwamankese in the Central Region, on Tuesday, to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS. He called on people living with AIDS (PLWA'S) not to conceal their health status but rather report to medical centres for treatment and counselling.

He urged the youth to abstain from pre-marital sex, which was the leading cause of infection.

Married couples should also be faithful to their partners. Paa Kwesi Ewool and Mr Solomon Mensah, officials of the International Christian Association for Rural Evangelism, who were coordinators for the workshop, called on the people not stigmatise the PLWA's.