Hohoe, Nov. 30, GNA- Togbega Gabusu VI, a member of the Ghana AIDS Commission on Saturday said the Ewe description "dika naku" (grow lean and die) associated with the HIV/AIDS disease has tended to deter people who are ailing and losing weight to want to know their HIV status.

"Such people are therefore, treated as outcasts and therefore, fear to go for any test", he lamented.

Togbega Gabusu made the observation at a rally organised by the Co-operative Credit union Association (CUA) at Hohoe to usher in the World AIDS day celebration.

He stressed that nobody could determine the HIV status of an ailing person just by looking at him or her.

"We should rather encourage our brothers and sisters to avail themselves of the HIV/AIDS tests", he said.

The District Director of Health, Dr Simon Atimpo said that results of a research, revealed that 26 percent of adolescents thought that healthy looking people were not infected with HIV.

Another 51 percent of adolescents also thought that they were not at risk of infection, he said.

Dr Atimpo therefore, called for more action to change such attitudes and mentality.

Mrs Aba Smith, National Chairman of CUA Ghana, said the theme for the World AIDS Day: "Live and let live" was a call to do away with the fear, shame, discrimination and stigma that surround the disease.

"Let us learn as much as we can about the disease and evaluate our personal conduct", she advised.

The Volta Regional Minister Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, called for efforts at stemming the spread of the disease.

He said it was unjust to shun persons who were infected by the disease. "We must stop and consider the people with the disease as our brothers and sisters." he said.