Teach health education in basic schools

Navrongo (U/E) March 29, GNA- A Health Research Fellow at the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) Mr Charles Kwakye-Dankyi, has advocated for the teaching of sex education as a subject in basic schools. He said HIV tests conducted on basic school pupils indicated that girls between the ages of 13-14 years in the Navrongo township had contracted the disease and said they did not acquire it from birth but through sex. Mr Kwakye-Dankyi was speaking on STDs and HIV/AIDS awareness creation at a seminar for members of the University for Development Studies (UDS) branch of the Ghana United Nations Students and Youth Association (GUNSA). He argued that if the infected girls were thought how to make sex, they could have insisted on the use of condom.

The Research Fellow said although the suggestion might not please a section of the public, the reality is that more than 90 per cent of HIV infection in Ghana is through sex and that young people are more infected by the disease. Mr Kwakye-Dankyi said Navrongo is not safe, because HIV/AIDS prevalence in the area is higher than the National prevalence rate. He therefore called for a change in the behaviour and attitude of the youth.

The Special Assistant to the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Paul Alor, expressed gratitude to GUNSA for championing the education and awareness creation on the disease. He said the development for every nation depends on the strength of its manpower and that a disease infested country only scare away potential investors.

The President UDS branch of the GUNSA, Mr Ernest Beinpuo, in a welcome address said GUNSA seeks to empower the youth to develop their knowledge, skill and adopt a change in behaviour. He commended the Ghana AIDS Commission for sponsoring the programme.