Abokobi Prone to High Risk of HIV/Aids

A survey conducted by the Alliance for African Women Initiative (AFAWI-GHANA) a non governmental organization based in Accra, to ascertain the status of HIV/AIDS in Accra, indicates that there is a high rate of infections in the Abokobi District of the Ga-East District, with women and girls as the most vulnerable.

The study was to awaken the consciousness of both rural and poor urban dwellers, on the need to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and human rights abuse among women and girls.
In an interview with Public Agenda, the programmes coordinator of AFAWI-Ghana, Mr. Philip Akwesi-Agyei said, the fundamental problem of the issue was due to the widening poverty in the area where most people, especially women barely subsist on one dollar a day or have three square meals a day.

He also revealed that, Kintampo is one of the towns where prevalence is said to be on the ascendancy. To this effect AFAWI-Ghana has set up an office in the Kintampo North District to further sensitise and educate the public and opinion leaders on the need to promote and support quality education for all, as well as encourage influential individuals who are committed to bringing an end to the menace.

He said Abokobi is densely populated with no job opportunities leading to a situation where women and girls fall "cheap opportunity" just to make ends meet.

Mr. Akwesi-Agyei also said Accra is one of the regions where poverty is deeply rooted and that the worse affected areas are the newly developing areas where those who work are few.

The coordinator hinted that, in a bid to arrest the situation, AFAWI-Ghana as a regional non-sectarian association is bringing together a group of women from Africa and to provide sound education and support for women and children.

He noted that despite the efforts by government and the international community to alleviate poverty in poorer countries, there are serious challenges and difficulties that restrict the poorest of the world's population.

In spite of the governments' efforts remains that 60% of all children without access to primary education are girls. This he said needs to be addressed to foster national development.

According to him, AFAWI-Ghana has identified education and gender mainstreaming as the surest intervention to curbing poverty in Ghana. To this end, the Alliance for African Women Initiative - Ghana is focusing on three main components of education for all children, HIV/AIDS, advocacy and collaboration.

Another medium which his organisation is using to achieve its advocacy and awareness drive is the AFAWI religious outreach programme where key religious heads are involved in the development chain to propagate the message of positive living among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHs).