...in schools advocated

The Ministry of Education was on Friday urged to consider making the study of AIDS/HIV a major subject in schools to increase its awareness among the youth to effect a behavioural change.

Materials of the teaching and the creation of awareness on the subject should be affective to touch the hearts of the children and the youth in their formative years in schools before they reach adulthood when habits that have been formed are difficult to change.

Currently, AIDS is studied as a topic in Religious and Moral Education (RME), in Senior Secondary Schools, and because RME is not examinable at the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, many teachers and students take it for granted. It is also studied as part of biological sciences in the SSS.

The suggestion was given during a press encounter in Accra by the press with a medical and media team from the United States of America, who are in the country to initiate an intensive STD/HIV/AIDS health education and prevention programme dubbed, "Save a million lives."

The two-year programme is a partnership between the Nene Katey Ocansey I, Learning and Technology Centre( Neko Tech, Ada), the Student National Medical Association (SNMA-USA), Americans Helping to develop Africa (AHDA-USA), the Ministry of Health, the National Medical Association and a team from the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies (IWES).

As part of the educational drive on AIDS, the partnership will create a website that would provide information on the disease and other related issues.

The delegation will be in the country for ten days, during which medical personnel will be divided into five groups to work with local public health officials in the Dangbe East District.

There will also be an inter-faith service and training workshops for religious leaders, a USA-Ghana Youth to Youth Speak Out on HIV/AIDS.

It was noted at the encounter that much as education on HIV/AIDS has intensified there is very little change in the sexual lifestyles people, as they do not translate their education into action. The resultant effect is an increase in HIV infections from 200 daily last year to 230 currently.

Miss Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State in-charge of Media Relations said government acknowledges that HIV/AIDS is devastating the most productive age group.

She gave the assurance that Government will support every initiative that seeks to expose and deal with the problem, as it is the youth who form the bulk of the nations manpower.

She reiterated the call not to regard the subjects of AIDS and sex as taboo subjects but rather discuss them openly to create more awareness and education as a way of reducing the HIV/AIDS menace.

Naa Princess Asi Ocansey, Co-Chairperson of Neko Teck asked employers and corporate bodies to offer marterial assistance to help fight AIDS