Denu, May 6, GNA- The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Ghana is undertaking a programme to increase awareness on HIV/AIDS in the Ketu District.

Dubbed "Youth Led Response to HIV and AIDS, the programme is expected to improve attitudes and responses of the people in the border district due to the risks they are exposed to as result of the large number of people travelling across the South-Eastern frontiers in Togo. Three Canadian organizations including Youth Challenge (YCI) and YMCA of Greater Toronto are collaborating with YMCA Ghana on the programme.

Ms Nicole Klement, a Volunteer of YMCA Greater Toronto told Journalist at the launch of the programme at Hedzranawo in the Ketu district on Saturday that workshops would be held in communities with big populations including drama to raise the awareness on HIV/AIDS. She said about a dozen other Volunteers from Canada and Local Peer Educators would give talks and also train educators on the disease to enable them to work in the communities.

The theme for the launch was "Canadian and Ghanaian Youth Together Fight HIV and AIDS".

Rev Prince Agbedzige, Volta Regional Chairman of the YMCA said the eight-week outreach was a continuation of a programme on Reproductive Health under which Counsellors where trained and places in the communities to educate them on reproductive issues and diarrhoea. He said each community on the programme would have a library with educational materials on venereal diseases and other reproductive issues.

Miss Lilian Mawuse Morti, Disease Control and Nutrition Officer at the Ketu District Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said the Ketu District remained an HIV/AIDS endemic area because of the fluid movement of people in the sub-region across the border. Togbe Tettey Wornanu, Chief of Awakorme at Aflao who represented Togbe Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area said the chiefs had been organizing durbars to educate their subjects to reduce the stigmatisation of people living with the disease. Mr Trinity Yevoo, Ketu District Director of Social Welfare advised all groups, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Faith Groups and NGOs in the district to register with the District Assembly. 06 May 07