Mrs. Agyeiwaa Ampim, Principal Midwifery Officer at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital, at the weekend advised Christians to support and show compassion to People Living with HIV/AIDS.
She said stigmatization and discrimination against such people largely contributed to the rapid spread of the disease in the area.
Mrs. Ampim explained that because of discrimination and the myth surrounding HIV/AIDS, people with the disease regarded themselves as outcasts and some decided to spread it.
She gave the advice when she addressed members the
Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Roman Catholic Church and Presbyterian Church at health talks at Abesim, near Sunyani.
The Abesim Afforestation Brigade, a Community-Based Organisation with support from Mission of Hope, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), organised the programme.
Mrs. Ampim expressed worry that HIV/AIDS was spreading at an alarming rate, especially among pregnant girls in the Municipality.
She said that Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV/AIDS was still free and advised the people to avail themselves of the opportunity and find out their status.
Mrs. Ampim advised Christians to eschew sexual immorality and allow the teachings of God to reflect on their lives.
She appealed to participants to propagate the HIV/AIDS message to their relatives and friends in order to prevent the spread of the disease.
Mrs. Ampim asked people with the disease to go to the hospital since there were drugs to prolong their lifespan.
Mr. Stephen Owusu Aduomire, Chairman of the Afforestation Brigade, said that hairdressers, association of beauticians and religious groupings had benefited from similar talks.
He said that apart from helping to regain the country's depleted forest, the Brigade had embarked on health programmes to improve on the lives of the people.
Mr. Aduomire said the NGO had arranged for relief items and medication for People Living with HIV/AIDS.