Seminar to sensitize public on HIV/AIDS at Bole

Bole (N/R), March 14, GNA - A day's seminar to sensitize the public on the need to promote voluntary counseling, test, prevention, stigmatization and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS has taken place in Bole in the Northern Region.
     It was organized and funded by the Department of Women under the auspices of the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs.
     The Regional Director of Department of Women, Mr I.P.S. Zakaria Saa, in his speech said the seminar was aimed at improving on gender based HIV/AIDS infection, curbing stigma and discrimination as well as promote voluntary counseling and test, especially among the 60 participants included assembly members, chiefs, queen mothers, women and youth groups, heads of decentralized departments and opinion leaders.
     Mr Zakaria Saa noted that participants at the end of the seminar were expected to appreciate safer practices, eschew discrimination and stigmatization, especially among those living with the HIV/AIDS disease.
     The Northern Regional Population Officer, Mr Alhassan Issahaku Amadu also noted that for far too long stigma and discrimination have been major causes of the fast spread of HIV with girls and women falling prey to the nasty phenomenon.
     This, he said, has also been the cause for more people refusing to undergo voluntary counselling and test and urged all to team up to promote HIV/AIDS prevention, as well as encourage all to go in for VCT.

14 March 07