Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister has advised the youth to abstain from pre-marital sex to protect themselves from contracting HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

She said HIV and AIDS were still in existence and urged the youth who could not control their sexual desires to avoid unprotected sex and multiple sex partners.

Mad Owusu-Banahene gave the advice when addressing the opening session of HIV and AIDS review meeting in Sunyani.

The regional Minister however emphasized that abstinence remained the surest remedy to protect the youth from STIs, HIV and AIDS and reiterated government’s commitment to help achieve the UNAIDS’s 90-90-90 target.

The target seeks to ensure that 90 per cent of all people living with HIV knew their status, 90 per cent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection received sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 90 per cent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy had viral suppression.

She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had in one way or the other affected HIV and AIDS awareness creation and campaign, and called for intensify public education to control the spread of new HIV infections.

Mad Owusu-Banahene commended the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) and its partners for their efforts towards nationwide fight against HIV/AIDS and called on civil society actors and the media to join the fight.