Atobiase (Ash), July 26, GNA - Teachers at the Adansi-Atobiase District Assembly Junior Secondary School in the Adansi South District have formed an anti-HIV/AIDS Club in the school.

The Club is to assist in sensitising the youth, particularly adolescent school pupils and the community on the disease. Inaugurating the Club with a membership of 35 pupils at Atobiase at the weekend, Mr Peter K. Menah, the District Focal Person on HIV/AIDS said the disease was no longer a clinical problem but a development issue.

The time had come for all stakeholders particularly in education to be actively involved in the campaign against the spread of the pandemic, he said.

Mr Mensah said current records showed that the disease was taking away many students, who he described as the window of hope for the nation's human resource.

He attributed the rapid spread of the disease to the abandoning of the country's culture, which protected young ones and appealed to teachers to get actively involved in HIV/AIDS education for the youth. They could do this through plays and other child-centred methods to intensify the teaching of sex education.

Mr Mensah urged the people to show compassion on people living with HIV/AIDS, so that they do not to feel neglected and ostracised by society.

He also asked parents to monitor the movement of their children especially at night and charged members of the Club to serve as role models.

Mr Michael Asare, Health Co-ordinator of the school and Founder of the Club said it was formed to regulate the activities and lifestyle of the pupils towards sex and immoral behaviour that affected their studies.

He said the club would embark on house-to-house education on HIV/AIDS and visit those living with the disease.