General News of Monday, 30 July 2007

Source: -THE SUN

Techiman leads in HIV/AIDS Cases

14 people have died from HIV/AIDS at Techiman this year alone. Clinical diagnostic cases of HIV/AIDS in the first quarter of the year, 64 out of 149 people who visited the Techiman Holy Family Hospital with symptoms and other health problems were found to be positive for HIV/AIDS.

Regarding donor cases,14 out of 77women who donated blood were positive while 92 men out of the 1,128 who donated blood were positive with voluntary counseling and testing,6 men out of the 39 who tested from January to June,2007 were found to be positive while 7 out of 36 women who tested were also found wanting.

At the antenatal section,31 out of the 2060 pregnant women tested were positive. These came to light when Mr.Peter Takyi Acheampong, HIV/AIDS coordinator for the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman took his turn to address a day's workshop on HIV/AIDS organised by Classic FM;a Techiman based radio station in collaboration with the Ghana AIDS Commission.

The programme which drew queenmothers,leaders of women fellowships and radio presenters from Techiman and its surrounding villages aimed at mapping out strategies for HIV/AIDS Programming on radio as well as find means of implementing such strategies.

Mr. Gabriel Bernarku , CEO for mission of Hope ,a Kintampo Based NGO took participants through the different types of the disease,their mode of spreadas well as counselling methods as ameans of arming participants to become HIVambassadors.

In his welcome address, Nana Yaw Asiedu, the General manager for classic FM in his welcome address said queen-mothers had been targeted due to their motherly and traditional role as domestic nurses and the consequence influence they wield.

The contribution of radio stations within the Brong Ahafo region to the promotion of the nation's development agenda cannot be over-emphasized with each of them taking proactive steps to source funds with which to provide platforms to find solutions to the region's problem as well as that of the nation.

Radio stations such as classic Fm, ASTA FM in Techiman, Adars FM (Kintampo) Jerryson FM (Nkoranza) and a host of the Sunyani based radio stations are exhibiting a great commitment to the plight of the areas within which they operate.