Ashaiman, Aug. 28, GNA - Hundreds of residents of Ashaiman, mostly the youth were on Monday provided with free condoms by Peoples Dialogue for Human Settlement (PD) a non-governmental organization based in Accra.

More than 4,000 condoms were distributed freely as part of the NGO's door-to-door outreach campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS to control the pandemic in Ghana, especially in the communities. The door-to-door HIV/AIDS educational outreach campaign was initiated by the PD and the American Jewish World Services (AJWS), to strengthen community partnership against the spread of the infection in the communities.

The campaign also aimed at exposing people to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, stand against negative behaviour and attitudes that put people at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS and reduce the incidence of stigmatisation and marginilisation.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency after an educational outreach, Mr. Abdul-Mujeeb Salifu, Programme Officer of PD/AJWS said HIV/AIDS prevention was everyone's responsibility, including those living in communities.

"If you care about your community, if you care about the possible loss of life through AIDS in the next five to 10 years - when those who are not HIV- positive become positive and those who are infected start to grow seriously ill.

"If you care about Ghana becoming an economic power and assuming the global role in the community of nations, I am sure that we will all make a commitment and contribute in a significant way to address HIV/AIDS in our communities," he said. He noted that the success of every country, community, business and organisation was based on the well-being and healthy lifestyle of its people, employees, and the sanctity of communities in which they operated.

To this end, upholding human rights is of great concern to PD/AJWS since anything that impacted on people impacted on the country. Mr. Emmanuel Zonyrah, PD/AJWS Community HIV/AIDS Activists said HIV/AIDS was no more a health problem and had acquired social and economic dimensions with serious implications for the business community in the country.

"It has become a developmental challenge, which needs an exceptional response.

He said," By fighting against HIV/AIDS, businesses and communities would be satisfying their corporate and ethical responsibility. Involvement of the corporate sector in the fight against HIV/AIDS was therefore crucial to the success of any country's efforts against the epidemic."