Officials of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese of the Catholic Church in charge of Strengthening HIV/AIDS Response Partnership Through Evidence Based Results (SHARPER) revealed that unprotected sex is still the number one cause of HIV/AIDS, accounting for 80 percent of transmission of the virus.

HIV/AIDS can be transmitted through various ways including sharing blades, injecting with used needles and having unprotected sex. However, according to co-coordinator Kofi Anamboyine Ayamga of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese of the Catholic Church in charge of the Strengthening HIV/AIDS Response Partnership Through Evidence Based Results (SHARPER), unprotected sex still accounts for 80 percent of  HIV/AIDS transmissions worldwide.

Ayamga cautioned youngsters from having unprotected, pre-marital sex as it increased the risk of being infected with the virus. He warned that they could still test negative even if they are infected because it takes three to seven months before tests can actually diagnose the infections. Ayamga terms this period as the "widow period." During this period people who are already infected can unknowingly transmit the virus to others.

The outbreak of HIV/AIDS infection was first discovered in the U.S. in 1981. Ever since, the infection has resulted in more than 35 million deaths worldwide of which more than 70 percent deaths were reported in Africa. Subsequently, more than 70 million people in the world are living with the virus, of which 50 million are from Africa.

This number is disturbing and hence Ayamga feels it is necessary to educate the youngsters of today about having safe sex in order to curb this growing number. He urged teenagers to refrain from having multiple sex partners and if possible refrain from having sex altogether at such a young age. Other than that, he also emphasized on the importance of using a condom correctly and effectively.

SHARPER is currently being sponsored by The Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocese, the Catholic Relief Service (CRS), Family Health International 360 and the USAID to help HIV patients as well as educate the nation about HIV/AIDS.