Takoradi, Jan 17, GNA - Mrs Esther Pesseh, Western Regional HIV/AIDS Coordinator, has said the slow sex behavioural change among Ghanaians was having negative effects on the fight against HIV/AIDS. She said even though education and awareness about the disease is very high, the sexual patterns of many people have not seen any significant change.

Mrs Pesseh said this at a day's workshop for Western Regional Stakeholders on Strengthening HIV/AIDS Response Partnership (SHARP) at Takoradi on Monday.

She called on Ghanaians to be role models, provide leadership and serve as advocates for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in their communities.

Mrs Pesseh said stigmatisation and misconception about the disease should change for the good of PLWHA while over reliance on untested herbal concoctions could lead to fatalities.

Madam Olivia Opoku Adomah, Regional Focal Person on HIV/AIDS, said the HIV/AIDS epidemic was a challenge to the very existence of humanity, saying, "everyone must pursue and confront the disease aggressively". She said HIV/AIDS programmes that do not include traditional leaders could fail since they are the centre of community development.