50 Students have HIV in Tema

About 54 students between January and february this year, have tested HIV positive in Tema, health officials reveal. According to the report, the students are mainly between 14 and 19 years old, but also includes children of 13 years. The disturbing revelation, according to health officials is as a result of the children been sexually active and thus lacking the effective sex education in the said metropolis.

The Tema Metropolitan Director of Health Services, Dr John Yabani at an outreach programme on adolescent reproductive health and national health insurance services in Tema expressed worry over what he described as the alarming rate of infections.

According to him, the rise in STI infections is as a result of the break down of families which had left many children being raised by single parents.

He pointed out that the health directorate had put in place a system by which community health officers would undertake house-to-house counselling and testing.

That, he said, was to ensure early detection for appropriate actions to be taken.

In the meantime, the said children have been placed on medical care and  are receiving effective counselling.

The outreach was organized by the Tema Metro Office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the GIZ.