Out of 115 patients whose blood was screened at the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital at Mampong-Akuapem last year, 82 tested HIV positive.

The District Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Mrs Eugenia Danquah Quist, made this known at a lecture organised by the District Response Initiative (DRI) for students of the Presbyterian Training College (PTC) at Akropong, at the weekend.

The lecture formed part of the DRI outreach programme to educate the people, especially the youth on the dangers of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Mrs. Quist, who was the former Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said six of the victims died in 2000, while four died this year.

She said HIV/AIDS infections among the youth, especially those at the senior secondary and tertiary institutions, were very alarming and advised the students to desist from unprotected sex.

Mrs. Quist deplored the treatment given to AIDS patients by some relatives and said the disease was no more "a shameful one" since everybody was at risk and called on relatives to show compassion towards AIDS victims.