Bolgatanga, Oct. 17, GNA- Four out of every 100 persons within the ages of 15 and 49 years in the Upper East Region are infected with the HIV virus, Mr Samuel Angyogdem, Regional HIV/AIDS Focal Person, said on Wednesday.

He said if stringent measures are not taken the region would exceed the epidemic threshold of five per cent in about two years and reach up to 6.9 per cent by 2009.

Mr Angyogdem, who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the region has the fourth highest prevalence rate after Eastern Region, which has 7.9 per cent, Western Region, 5.1 per cent and Ashanti Region 3.9 per cent.

The region with the lowest prevalence rate is the Northern Region with only two per cent.

He said the prevalence rate in the region might be attributed to sharing of borders with Burkina Faso and Togo, where the infection rates are quite high.

Mr Angyogdem said the anti-retroviral drug, which does not cure but controls the multiplication of the virus in one's system, is too expensive for the poor and could not give the majority of people in the region any hope.

He called for sustained advocacy to change harmful customary practices, counselling of the youth and leadership support from chiefs and women leaders in HIV/AIDS programmes.