Action Aid Ghana (AAG), an international non-governmental organization, has organized a forum on HIV/AIDS in Bolgatanga to draw the attention of world leaders, governments and non-governmental organizations to be more committed on the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
The occasion which was on the theme "Mobilize the Nations, Test the Nations, Treat the Nations and Stop New Infections", was also used to drum home the need to demand accountability and transparency from governments, donors and non-governmental organizations working on HIV/AIDS.
The Programme Manager of AAG in charge of Upper East, Mr. Michael Lumor, said his outfit was focused on bringing communities together and frontline practitioners from the region to create a new momentum for universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support through social mobilization.
Mr. Lumor said AAG for the past had supported over 700 people affected with HIV/AIDS.
It has undertaken projects including supplementary feeding, treatment of opportunistic diseases and provision of educational needs to orphaned children, vocational and apprenticeship training.
Mrs. Lucy Awuni, Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, commended AAG for its support in the fight against the pandemic and said the prevalence rate of the disease in the region was frightening.
She said the prevalence rate as at 2007 was 2.5 per cent against the national average of 1.9 and that there had been a consistent decrease in the region's prevalence rate from the 2002 rate of 3.9 per cent.
She blamed the situation to the proximity of the region to the borders with Burkina Faso and Togo and the free flow of human and vehicular traffic across borders, the increased activities of small scale mining and the resultant attraction and concentration of all manners of persons in such mining areas.
She cited certain outmoded traditions such as widow inheritance in some communities, seasonal and annual migration of teenage girls to neighbouring countries ostensibly to work but invariable practice prostitution.
Participants expressed disappointment about some organizations that collect monies from donors to support People Living with HIV/AIDS but end up diverting it for their personal use and stressed the need for such people to account for them.
They called on District Assemblies to be more committed in the fight against the pandemic.