Yendi, Dec. 3, GNA - Alhaji Mohamed Asibi Azonko, Yendi District Coordinating Director, says HIV/AIDS pandemic poses a great challenge to development and social progress, unless all hands were put on deck to prevent it.

"The pandemic has the potential of destabilising society and undermining a nation's economy", he said when addressing a two-day workshop on the disease.

The Yendi District Assembly organised the workshop on: "HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy" for 40 officials from selected government departments, NGOs and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) at Yendi. It had a special focus on the disease's global picture, workplace policy in Ghana, stigmatisation and discrimination. Alhaji Azonko explained that HIV/AIDS was not just a health problem but also a major development crisis whose consequences went beyond health solutions alone.

He said the disease posed a serious challenge to Ghana's development efforts because it was capable of reversing the modest human capital gains made over the years. He therefore called on all sectors and organisations to commit resources in combating the disease now, rather than to wait until it consumed the entire nation as it was being experienced in other African countries.

He noted that the development of appropriate workplace policies and programmes however needed to be guided by the broad national policy frame on HIV/AIDS.