Wa, Oct 29, GNA – Mrs Winifred Asibi Bawa Dy-Yakah, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, on Monday told district assemblies, non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations that received money this year for HIV/AIDS education in the region to use the money for its intended purpose. She said government would deal with any district assembly, non-governmental organisations and community based organisations that might use the funds in areas other than what they are meant for. Mrs Dy-Yakah said this at a HIV/AIDS workshop for the agencies involved in HIV/AIDS education to enhance their performance to ensure an overall success in the Multi-sector HIV/AIDS Programme (MSHAP). Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Persons and MSHAP beneficiaries who are important stakeholders in the fight against the disease attended the forum in Wa. The MSHAP constitutes the national strategic framework put in place by the Ghana AIDS Commission in 2005 aimed at achieving results. Mrs Dy-Yakah said Ghana was at a cross road in the fight against the virus and that government would not relent in its efforts to mitigate the effect of the pandemic. She urged stakeholders not to rejoice over reduction in the national prevalence rate but to redouble their efforts towards the elimination of the virus. “HIV/AIDS no doubt has become one of the most fearful viruses in modern times and efforts must therefore be made to reduce its spread and also mitigate its effects on those infected and affected”, she said. Alhaji Taminu Zaidu, Upper West Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Person on HIV/AIDS, appealed to participants to target personnel of the security agencies and long distance drivers who often work outside their homes in their HIV/AIDS education to help reduce the virus in the communities. He called on traditional rulers and district assemblies in the region to enact by-laws to abolish cultural practices that made the people vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Alhaji Zaidu said even though the prevalence rate of the virus was relatively low in the region that of Wa Municipality was still high and urged the stakeholders to adopt acceptable messages as well as advocacy to change the behaviour of the people.
