Akropong (ER), June 13, GNA - Ms Golda Asante, Eastern Regional Focal Person on HIV/AIDS, on Thursday urged queen mothers to get involved in joint and multi-sectoral social marketing campaigns to fight HIV/AIDS.

She also advised them to encourage schools, families and community groups to include HIV/AIDS education in their homes. Speaking at an advocacy workshop on HIV/AIDS for chiefs and queen mothers in the Akuapem Traditional Area at Akropong, Ms Asante said queen mothers could act as a focal point in organizing education campaigns in their communities to educate young girls on the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

She advised them to employ the influence and respect they command as community leaders, to mobilize, educate and inform the youth and women in their communities about HIV/AIDS and other related health issues.

"Assist in the education of the girl-child on marital health issues and the implications of early pregnancy, abortion and failure to attend ante-natal clinic and hospital when pregnant," Ms Asante told the queen mothers.

She also urged them to help build AIDS competence by identifying potential harmful social and customary practices that constituted a hindrance to anti-HIV/AIDS efforts.

"Play a role by identifying social or cultural practices that may contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS, like tattooing, puberty rites and love covenants", she advised. Ms Asante called on them to collaborate with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and other stakeholders to solve the high rate of teenage pregnancy and maternal mortality in the region. She urged the youth to abstain from pre-marital sex, and always use condom whenever they wanted to engage in sex. Dr S.T Ofori, Eastern Regional Co-ordinator of HIV/AIDS, stressed the need for people to know their HIV/AIDS status through Voluntary Testing and Counselling (VCT).

He said the advantages in knowing ones status, far outweighed the disadvantages adding that, drugs were available for those who may test positive, which would enable them to live normal lives.