Nkoranza (B/A) July 27, GNA - Mr. Richard Hinneh, Nkoranza District Director of Health Service has urged religious leaders, traditional rulers and opinion leaders to help establish endowment funds towards the upkeep and education of orphans of HIV/AIDS victims.

He was addressing national service personnel at the launch of the district's celebration of this year's National Service Week at Nkoranza. The programme was under the theme, "The role of national service personnel in the fight against the HIV/AIDS menace". Mr. Hinneh explained that such support would enable the innocent children to live in comfort and grow to become responsible citizens to serve their communities and the nation.

He expressed grave concern about the fast spread of the pandemic among the youth, who are most productive.

Mr. Hinneh announced that the rise in HIV/AIDS cases within the past five years in Nkoranza was alarming as statistics at St. Theresa's Hospital in the town showed that 691 cases had so far been recorded. He said 129 cases were recorded in the year 2000, 150 in 2001, 138 in 2002, 142 in 2003 whilst 132 were recorded in 2004.

Mr. Hinneh challenged the service personnel to use their educational background to educate the people at community durbars, churches and mosques about the epidemiological state of the pandemic, mode of transmission and its treatment and care.

Mr. Kwabena Agyemang-Badu, District Director of Education urged the service personnel to live above reproach as role models and render active and selfless services towards the nation's socio-economic development.

He advised them to be good ambassadors of their former institutions by leading lives worthy of emulation so the younger ones could copy and take their education seriously.

Mr. Raphael Alorwu, District Coordinator of the National Service Secretariat announced that 90 personnel were posted to Nkoranza this year and expressed gratitude for their unity and co-operation, as he did not receive any adverse report from any Head of Department about their performance. Mr. Alorwu appealed to the District Assembly to financially support the Secretariat to complete a housing project started in 1999, with three million cedis out of the common fund of the former M.P. of the area, Mr. Hayford Francis Amoako.

Mr. Adjei Yeboah, Presiding Member of the Assembly, congratulated the service personnel for accepting postings to serve in Nkoranza and asked them to encourage their brothers and sisters as well as friends to offer similar services in future.

Mr. Joseph Ababio Basoah, District Finance Officer, on behalf of the Assembly presented two million cedis to the personnel in appreciation of their hard work and efforts. Mr. Sammy Asumah, District Director of the National Commission on Civic Education, who presided, called on the general public to assist in the campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS, which was a major threat to development.