Madam Betty Busumtwi-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister, has called on Queen mothers in the region to form an association to enable them to take their rightful place in the society. She said an association would provide Queen mothers with the platform to contribute towards the education of the youth particularly the girl-child. She made the call at an interaction with Queen mothers in the region organized by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) at Sekondi on Friday. Madam Busumtwi-Sam said Queen mothers as custodians of culture, have a valuable role to play in the development of the youth and against the erosion of some traditional values. She said Queen mothers could also participate in the education of the youth against HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and other infectious diseases. Madam Busumtwi-Sam said a challenge facing the region was how to reduce HIV/AIDS infection in the face of the oil find. Dr Linda Vanotoo, Regional Director of Health, told the meeting that in 2009, the national HIV prevalence rate was estimated at 1.9 per cent. She said it was also estimated that 267,069 people including 25,666 children and 154,612 females, lived with the disease in 2009. Dr Vanotoo said in 2008, the prevalence rate was estimated at 1.7 per cent and 236,151 persons were living with the disease at the time. She said the Western Region had the third highest HIV prevalence rate of 3.1 per cent in 2009 after the Eastern Region, which had the highest rate of 4.2 per cent and the Ashanti Region, which recorded the second highest rate of 3.9 per cent. The Central Region had prevalence rate of 3.0 per cent in 2009 and occupied the fourth position, she said. Source: GNA