Regional News of Thursday, 19 August 2004

Source: GNA

NGO helps people living with HIV/AIDS

Techiman, Aug 19, GNA - Ten out of 52 people living with HIV/AIDS and being cared for by Ahenbronoso Care Foundation, a community-based organisation in Techiman, have died.

Mr Davis Boama-Asumadu, Coordinator, said this at a day's education forum for delegates at a conference of the Techiman circuit of the Ahmadiyya Mission.

Mr Boamah-Asumadu said 36 patients being provided with anti retroviral drugs by the Foundation had been referred to the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

"Apart from the drugs, the Foundation is also providing children of deceased victims with school uniforms and other educational materials", he said.

Speaking on "HIV/AIDS pandemic, Islam solution to the menace", Mr Abubakari Alhassan of the Regional Hospital in Sunyani expressed regret that the number of HIV/AIDS cases had shot up to an alarming level since the first case was reported in 1986.

Mr Alhassan urged Muslim parents to give pre-marital counselling to their children before giving them out for marriage.