Madam Esther Kakie Ayimavor, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Naana Kakie Foundation, has encouraged the youth to take a bold step to test their HIV status.
Madam Ayimavor said testing to know their HIV status would help them to make informed decisions about their health and practice preventive measures.
During a visit to some schools in the Ada East District, she noted that the vulnerability of some students, especially girls, exposed them to sexual exploitation, leading to the contraction of the virus unknowingly.
She said sometimes gender violence also pushed several victims into unprotected sexual activities and contracting HIV; therefore, her foundation was collaborating with the NENA Foundation to jointly sensitise the youth on gender violence and HIV/AIDS.
Madam Ayimavor highlighted an alarming statistics of HIV, noting that over 5,000 people in Ada had contracted the virus.
She advised the pupils against sharing blades and toothbrushes with others, as these could be vectors for the virus.
“My girls, do not allow the boys to be touching your breasts, and make sure you report any form of sexual harassment to your parents and, if necessary, your teachers,” she urged.
She encouraged the youth to either protect themselves before engaging in sexual activities or abstain from sex if protection is unavailable.
Some of the pupils told the Ghana News Agency that even though they have heard about HIV/AIDS, more education needed to be done on it, just as it was done with during COVID-19.
GNA
LS/KOA/LAA
Caption: TM076 HIV Testing Pic 1
