The West Mamprusi District of the Northern Region recorded a total of 515 new HIV positive cases this year as against 589 cases in 2014, making the district the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence area in the Northern Region.

Dr Jacob Yakubu Mahama, Northern Regional Director of Health Services who disclosed this on Tuesday at Walewale in the West Mamprusi district said the area recorded 565 cases in 2013 and warned residents to take precautionary measures against the disease.

Dr Mahama was addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of the area as part of activities marking World AIDS Day, which was celebrated on the theme: “Ending the AIDS epidemic as part of the sustainable development goals”. The national theme was: “Fast track: meeting the health needs of children towards an HIV-free generation”.

He said despite the worrying situation in the West Mamprusi district, the Northern Region recorded 0.6 per cent HIV prevalence and was the lowest in the country stressing that there were 16 ART sites in the region offering HIV related services to over 2,000 clients.

He indicated that out of the 59,000 pregnant women who were tested for HIV, 507 of them were positive and were given the needed attention to prevent mother to child transmission and advised pregnant women to get tested.

Dr Mahama entreated men to also know their status since most of the people who went to the medical facilities for the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) were women. “Out of the 7,000 people who offered themselves for HIV testing in 2014, more than two-thirds were women”.

He noted that it was through such efforts that the nation could reduce AIDS-related deaths, reduce the spread of the infection and end the AIDS epidemic.

Alhaji Limuna Mohhamed-Muniru, Northern Regional Minister said the Ghana AIDS Commission was putting in place measures to roll out the Global targets of 90, 90, 90, project, which would ensure 90 per cent of all persons living with the disease knew their status.

He said the roll out would also ensure that 90 per cent of those who knew their status were put on anteretroviral medicines and that 90 per cent of those on anteretroviral had a suppressed load.

The Regional Minister noted that the government had invested significantly in fighting the HIV and AIDS pandemic and gave the assurance that more efforts were being made to keep the nation healthy.

Mr David Wuni, District Chief Executive of West Mamprusi said the District Assembly was constructing roads and more health facilities, and that it would not relent in efforts to implement the national HIV and AIDS strategic response to minimize the spread of the disease.

He expressed worry that despite the numerous educational campaigns on the dangers of HIV/AIDS many people continued to engage in risky sexual behaviour, making it to difficult to stop recording new infections.