The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) last week Thursday marked its version of World AIDS day at the Bantama Market.
Addressing traders and shop owners including head potters who had thronged the arena where the sensitization programme was held, Madam Felicia Owusu, Assistant Director and Focal Person for Ghana AIDS Commission at KMA urged the public to guard against practices that would make them prone to contract HIV.
She said there were precautionary measures such as abstinence and the use of condoms when having sexual intercourse with a person whose status of HIV is unknown.
Madam Owusu admonished the public to test to know their status if they had not done so already since that was better than not knowing.
“It is better to test to know your status than not knowing and even if you are positive there are available remedies and treatments to help deal with HIV or any of the STDs”, Madam Owusu stated.
DETAILS:
Madam Owusu asked the traders to take their health conditions seriously especially issues of their sex life.
She noted that many who dwell in ignorance were at risk of contracting STDs or HIV if they do not know their partners’ statuses.
Some men and women, she revealed keep multiple partners and were at high risk of getting infected with a sexually transmitted disease.
“We encourage all of you to test to know your status as you also encourage your partners to do so too so that you can be assured of your safety or otherwise”, Madam Owusu stressed.
FLOAT:
Starting with a float from the precincts of the Assembly, national service persons supported by Ghana AIDS Commission staff as well as staff of KMA marched with placards that drummed home the effects of HIV, AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).
Some of the placards read “if unsure use a condom”, “protect yourselves from STDs”, “HIV is real” as well as “check to know your status”.
With brand band music leading the march from the KMA office, the team used the main Adum Street through the Vodafone Road and used the road in front of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and passed through the Fourth Garrison Military quarters and made it through the main Bantama Road leading to the Bantama market.
Dressed in T-shirts and in the colours of the Ghana AIDS Commission the team got attention from the public before reaching the main market arena where the traders thronged to listen to the sensitization programme which had doctors and nurses seated and ready for testing.
STORY BY MICHAEL OFOSU-AFRIYIE, KUMASI.