Step to Healthy Growth Association, a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) based in the Lawra District of the Upper West Region has registered 314 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the region. Out of the figure, 72 of them came from the Wa Municipality, 120 in Lawra, 52 in Nandom while Jirapa and Nadowli recorded 40 and 23 respectively. In Tumu in the Sissala East District where stigmatization is still very high, only seven PLWHA have been registered. The high stigmatization of HIV/AIDS patients in the Upper West Region is gradually reducing as people are now making their status known. Mr Emmanuel Beluzeb, Head of the NGO, which is aimed at identifying and supporting victims of the pandemic, made this known at a workshop on HIV/AIDS for 134 teachers from Senior Secondary Schools. The workshop, which is under way at the Wa Secondary School, is to equip teachers with the necessary skills and competencies in order to empower them as agents of change in the dissemination of HIV/AIDS information. Mr Beluzeb, who is also the coordinator of PLWHA in the region said he had lived with the disease for the past 13 years and that until recently no person carrying the virus in the region was willing to come forward to declare his or her status. "This was because of the high stigma attached to it and attributed this development to intensive education against their stigmatization. He appealed to benevolent individuals and organizations to support them to have access to Anti-Retroviral Therapy centres for treatment. Alhaji Osman Salifu, Wa Municipal Coordinating Director noted that the country would not be able to succeed in the crusade against HIV/AIDS if teachers were not put at the forefront. Mr Cletus Paaga, Regional Director of Education used the forum to enlighten the teachers on the new educational reforms that would take off on Tuesday and said teachers would be given professional allowances, cars and motor bikes at affordable credit terms to motivate them to give off their best. Mr Alvin K-Ansuura, Training Officer of the School Health Education Programme in the Municipality, advised the participants to let HIV information reflect in all the subjects they handle in the classrooms. Source: GNA