Accra, Dec. 1, GNA - Thousands of school children on Saturday defied the scorching sun to listen to messages on prevention of Aids before embarking on a float along some principal streets of Accra to mark this year's World Aids Day.

The enthusiastic youth from various schools in the Metropolis who were clad in various T-shirts with messages on Aids carried along placards accompanied by brass band music and spinning groups that attracted the public and created traffic jams along the routes from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle through Adabraka to the business centre and then to the Kinbu Gardens.

The celebrations of the World Aids Day, which was on the theme; "Leadership- Reducing Stigma and Discrimination", was organized by the Greater Accra Region branch of the Ghana Red Cross Society with support from the Afro Global Alliance-collaboration between Tuberculosis (TB) and Aids and Right to Play Ghana.

Mr. Emmanuel Djan Ashley, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Red Cross Society said the Day falls in line with the Society's policy of sensitizing the populace about the effects of the disease by involving, especially the youth and less privileged in the society. He said it is the expectation of the Red Cross Society that many more people would be involved in the propagation of the messages and education of the disease and to ensure that stigmatization of victims are brought to a minimal level.

Chief Austin Obiefuna, Director of Afro Global Alliance said there was the need for all to have adequate information about the AIDS diseases and its prevention so as to curtail its spread.

He said with the advent of HIV/AIDS, the issue of TB was growing at an alarming rate but luckily Tb can be prevented unlike AIDS which has no cure. Chief Obiefuna advised that since the society is faced with very many social problems the public and private should actively get involved in the prevention of TB which is a devastating disease with symptoms similar to HIV/AIDS. He said the time has come for all ensure that the society is free of TB while ensuring that HIV/AIDS was prevented especially among the youth and women who mostly the vulnerable.

There were solidarity messages from an official of Right To Play who stressed that when children are afforded education on health issues at an early age, they would grow with a positive attitude to help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, stigmatization and discrimination of victims. The participants carried various placards with messages such as: "Parents should talk about HIV/AIDS openly", "Anybody can get HIV/AIDS, 'Mosquitoes do not transmit AIDS", "Stay faithful to each other", "You can wait until marriage", AIDS is not a sin", "Think TB", "Reduce Maternal deaths" and Do not share razors. 01 Dec. 07