Bolgatanga remains hotspot for HIV infections

Bolgatanga Municipality in the Upper East Region remains hot spot for HIV/AIDS, this is according to the HIV/AIDS Coordinator in the region, Mr Sulemana Majeed.

“Bolgatanga has always been above the national figure, which calls for an increase sensitisation and education,” the Upper East Regional HIV Coordinator noted during an engagement with the media co-organised by the Ghana Aids Commission and Ghana Health Service (GHS).

HIV infection rate stands at 1.9 per cent in the region, the disease is becoming urbanised with the upsurge in commercial sex activities in Bolgatanga.

The Upper East Regional HIV Coordinator noted that the disease was not localised to certain parts of the region.

Reacting to this in an exclusive interview with top news’ Christiana Okyere, the chairman for Ghana Aids Commission Kyeremeh Atuahene said, since the inception of HIV in the country, Upper East has been above the national figure which calls for an increase in sensitization and education.

He said, a research made by the association shows that persons who engage in prostitution, specific group of migrants, cross boarder activities (persons from neighboring countries) have increased in the region leading to the high rate of HIV/AIDS.

He added that, some measures have been put in place to curb the increase of HIV in the region some organization in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service and CHAAG are identifying some sex workers to educate and test them for HIV in order to provide good health an.d not to increase the spread.