Over 25 million people have died from the AIDS pandemic since its emergence with over 33 million people infected across the world.
Mr Joe Baidoe-Ansah, Minister for Aviation, who announced this said "Predictably, Africa tops the HIV/AIDS devastation league, being home to 70 per cent of cases. Unfortunately, accessing the right drugs at most parts of the continent is very difficult,"
He announced this in an address read on his behalf at the launch of Workplace HIV/AIDS Policy for personnel of Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) in Accra on Monday.
It formed part of activities to mark World AIDS Day which fell on Monday, December 1, celebrated under the theme, "Leadership, Reducing Stigmatization and Discrimination."
Mr Baidoe-Ansah said the struggle against HIV/AIDS called for a collective commitment from all sections of the society to ensure the future and survival of the human race.
"In Ghana, though the prevalence rate is reportedly reducing from a high rate of 3.6 per cent in 2004 to 1.9 per cent by the end of 2007, its threatening nature is the high prevalence rate of 3.5 per cent among the youth."
He said for the aviation sector, where human resource remained one of the greatest challenges, HIV/AIDS was a major security and development issue, adding that it was only appropriate that "we engage in programmes to educate each other on the dangers and threats of the pandemic".
"As gatekeepers of the gateway to our country, ministries, departments and agencies have the responsibility to ensure that not only their staff but those that they come into contact with are made aware of the debilitating effect of HIV/AIDS."
Mrs Esi Anno-Sackey, Managing Director of GACL, said HIV/AIDS was a key labour issue and a potential threat to the achievement of organisational goals.
She noted that whilst its impact could result in huge labour cost, it also threatened the social and economic fabric of society.
Mrs Anno-Sackey said it was therefore, most crucial to ensure that HIV/AIDS awareness at the workplace was as high as possible, in order to build a stronger and more efficient labour force.
Mr James Ayeetey, from Ghana AIDS Commission advised people to be HIV/AIDS conscious in all their dealings.
He noted that whilst media images portrayed victims of the disease as bony and sickly, that was not at all the case in the real world, adding that many people of good social standing and who looked fit were carriers of the virus.
Mr Ayeetey said whilst it was wrong for anyone to be forced into having an HIV/AIDS test against his or her will, it was necessary for sexual partners who did not intend to use any protective means such as condoms to know about each other's HIV/AIDS status in order to ensure that they remained healthy and did not endanger each other unnecessarily.
There was a short drama clip by some staff of GACL on the dangers of irresponsible sexual behaviour.