Former President Jerry Rawlings has called on Ghanaians to attach more seriousness in the fight against AIDS.

A statement issued on his behalf and signed by Kofi Adams, an aide, said World Aids Day celebration on December 1, “could not have come at a better time due to the theme chosen for this year’s celebration – Leadership.

“At this crucial point in our country’s history when we are about to choose new leaders for our country, it is important that we attach the same importance to AIDS as we do to choosing our leaders.”

The former president said the “leadership theme is not necessarily about what our governments and opinion leaders are doing to curb the scourge of AIDS, but what leadership role each member of society is playing to stem the expanding trend of this incurable disease.

“The campaign slogan; “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise” is succinct and best outlines the lapses inherent in the campaign against AIDS.

“We have lived with this deadly disease for well over two decades and seen millions of our loved ones depart this world unceremoniously, sometimes without knowing they carried the disease or more frequently without us knowing they suffered from the disease.”

Ex-president Rawlings said in spite of several educational campaigns and activities by government and non government agencies as far as the scourge is concerned, “statistics show that a lot still needs to be done to stem the tide of the disease.

“The stark reality however is though majority of Ghanaians are aware of the deadly nature of the disease and how one can contract it, many simply believe their lifestyles insulate them from the disease.”

Rawlings said the moral fibre of the society has deteriorated with indiscriminate sex now not only the preserve of the ladies of the night but also men of the night, just as there are sex addicts who jump from one partner to the other without any care to protect themselves.

“Leadership: Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise, is about a total commitment to keeping our promise to prevent the spread of the disease through abstinence, use of protection during sex and a desire to educate our loved ones to take a cue.

“Also important is the need to embrace our brothers and sisters who carry the disease and not regard them as pariah in society. A lot of education has gone into this as well but as a society we need to wake up to the reality that carriers of the disease are our kith and kin and cannot be ignored. A significant number of people catch the disease through no fault of theirs but are unfortunate victims of unscrupulous partners.

“As we celebrate World AIDS Day today let us dedicate ourselves to ensuring an AIDS free society. Let us take the bull by the horn and take responsibility for every action of ours that has the ability to exacerbate the scourge of AIDS.

“Posterity will judge us for the actions we take today and we dare not fail,” he advised.