The Deputy Upper West Regional Director of Health Service, Dr. Kofi Issa, has called for a change in sexual behavior to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases in the region.   

He said no age group was safe from HIV/AIDS infection and that the reduction in the prevalence per cent of 3.3 per cent in 2007 to 1.6 in 2008 should not mislead people into assuming that the disease was no longer life threatening.   

Dr. Issa was addressing an HIV/AIDS workshop organised for traditional rulers in the Upper West Region in Wa on Saturday.   

The Upper West Regional House of Chiefs organised the forum with sponsorship from the Ghana AIDS Commission to update its members on the menace of HIV/AIDS and other diseases, such as Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and maternal deaths.   

Dr. Issa called on traditional rulers and opinion leaders to champion the campaign against HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases to secure healthy communities.   

"Let us not be only concerned about ruling the people, we must equally show concern about their health and welfare", he said.   

He said 236,151 were living with HIV/AIDS in the region and called on the people to adopt positive lifestyles.   

Dr. Issa appealed to the chiefs to put measures in place to ensure that people living with the HIV/AIDS disease were not stigmatized or subjected to insinuation and name calling.   

Harmful traditional practices that have the potential of spreading HIV/AIDS infection among the people should also be discouraged.

GNA

PF