GHANA: ECOWAS AIDS plan targets armed forces

JOHANNESBURG, 10 Feb 2004 (PLUSNEWS) - Governments from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are currently meeting in Ghana to draw up a detailed two-year plan to tackle HIV/AIDS in their armed forces.

Professor William Bertrand of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) told the UN news service, PlusNews, that existing data on HIV/AIDS prevalence for the region's armed forces were not very accurate.

He said West African soldiers were particularly at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS because of their frequent participation in peacekeeping operations in the conflict-torn region.

Bertrand said: "Though it is very difficult to gather statistically sound evidence from war-zones, it is quite likely that more people will be killed by HIV/AIDS in these areas than bullets. It is therefore very incumbent on all of us to address this as one of the priority problems."

[ENDS]