3 September 2008 -- An intensive ten-day training for the promotion of HIV/AIDS awareness ended today in Wau, which drew participants from the UNMIS area military contingents, the locally based Joint Integrated Unit, the Western Bahr El-Ghazal State AIDS Commission and civilian UNMIS staff.

The workshop was organized by the UNMIS HIV/AIDS unit to acquaint participants with the nature of the disease and existing prevention measures, so that they could later impart their knowledge to colleagues in their respective units and contingents.

Coordinator Peter Ngisanga of the state's AIDS commission noted that nearly a quarter of the 500 Wau residents who were examined for the deadly disease in the past six months tested positive, a rate of infection he described as "very dangerous".

"The knowledge you have acquired here today will help a lot of people," said Mr. Ngisanga.

UNMIS Wau Commander Col. Johnson Ondieki warned about the difficulties of changing human nature and habits among people who had not been exposed to such AIDS awareness workshops.

Capt. Intisar Ul-hag of the UNMIS Pakistani Aviation Unit said that a collective effort was required to combat the pandemic and assured the gathering that he and his colleagues would share the knowledge they acquired about AIDS with all military contingents in the Wau area.