Koforidua, Oct. 5, GNA - Statistics from the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), has indicated that 71 per cent of HIV/AIDS victims, who were put on Anti Retroviral Drugs (ART) since 2003 in the Eastern Region, are still alive.

This is an indication that the ART is effective and can manage even severe cases of the HIV/AIDS to boost the survival rate of people infected and living with the disease.

Dr Samuel Ofori, the Regional Coordinator of the NACP, made these known at a stakeholders’ meeting on strategic plan on HIV/AIDS control in Koforidua on Tuesday.

He called on all stakeholders to encourage the use of ART as an integral part of the programme in the control strategy.

Dr Ofori said Agomanya in the Manya Krobo District had the highest prevalence rate of 7.6 per cent with the national rate being 3.2. Among pregnant women, the prevalence rate is 1.5 per cent.

Even though the Region recorded the highest prevalence rate, Dr Ofori said analysis of the figures showed a downward trend of the rate which called for further promotion of condom usage.

The Chief Health and Nutrition of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Dr Anirban Chattertee noted that HIV/AIDS was a human right issue, especially in the case of children, who through no fault of theirs, became infected through their mothers.

That form of transmission, he said, raised a lot of concern in controlling the disease and urged that all intervention should help to focus on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) to ensure that children born to infected mothers were protected.

Mr Tom Budu, Akyemmansa District Chief Executive, who spoke on the role of the Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs), urged them to contribute their 0.5 per cent mandatory contribution in support of AIDS control.

He also emphasized the need for the MDCEs to strengthen district sub-structures including the area and zonal councils to undertake activities that would help to complement the efforts of core stakeholders in the control of HIV/AIDS.