Queen Mum Lauded

Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)

March 13, 2003
Posted to the web March 13, 2003

Stephen A. Quaye
Koforidua

The Eastern regional co-ordinator for HIV/AIDS, Dr. Sampson Badu Ofori, has commended the Queen Mothers Association of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area (MKTA) for helping to reduce the AIDS prevalence rate from 13% to about %6 now in the area.

According to him, there are other queen mothers associations who are into anti-HIV/AIDS campaigns but are not as effective as the Manya Krobo association.

The co-ordinator said this at a forum organised by the Eastern region branch of the Ghana National Association of Teacher Ladies Association(GNAT-LAS) at Koforidua.

He advised all other chiefs and queen mothers to join the campaign against HIV/AIDS, since they can make a difference with their traditional authorities.

Dr. Ofori cautioned pastors against demanding HIV/AIDS testing certificates before blessing their members' marriages.

He explained that, if testing becomes compulsory, some members will run to mushroom clinics and laboratories for fake certificates only to deceive their spouses and pastors and that will not help in controlling the disease at all.

The participants expressed their resolve to collaborate with the AIDS commission to carry the campaign message to their schools, communities, homes and meeting places in order to augment the government's effort at reducing AIDS-related deaths to the minimum level.