Out of 1,383 people screened for the HIV/AIDS infection in the Offinso district over a three-year period, 220 tested positive representing 15.9 percent.

Dr Joseph Oduro, District Director of Health Services, put the prevalence rate of the disease in the area at 5.3 percent and said the figure was disturbing when compared with the national average of 3.6 percent.

He was speaking at the launch of an HIV/AIDS prevention campaign in the district by the Single Parent Foundation (SPF), a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

Dr Oduro appealed to the chiefs, religious leaders and social groups in the area to come together and mount a more aggressive campaign to stop the spread of the infection.

"Almost every Ghanaian is now aware of this deadly disease and its mode of transmission but it is surprising people seem to be indifferent to the risk of getting infected and continue to live reckless sexual lifestyles".

He said the focus of the HIV/AIDS education should be on complete abstinence and faithfulness among sexual partners.

Dr Oduro advised the people not to stigmatise those living with the disease but to give them the necessary support and encouragement to lead normal lives.

Mr A.A. Adams, Focal Person of the District's Response Initiative (DRI), said the Ghana AIDS Commission has made available 270 million cedis to twelve organisations working on various interventions to help stop new infections of the disease in the area.

He said the activities of the organisations were being closely monitored to prevent misapplication of the funds.

Mrs Mary Owusu-Antwi, Director of the SPF, said apart from working to significantly slow down the spread of the HIV/AIDS disease, her organisation had been supporting orphans and street children.

She said presently, they have put 300 of such children in basic schools throughout the district, paying their fees and buying them stationery, furniture, school uniforms, shoes and school bags.

Besides, the SPF is sponsoring the training of 60 single mothers in employable skills such as batik, tie and dye, hairdressing and dressmaking to enable them to become economically self-supporting.