The Greater Accra Regional Office of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has inaugurated a nine-member Regional Committee to provide oversight and coordination for the decentralised HIV and AIDS response in the region.
The inauguration, which took place in Accra, was in line with Section nine of the Ghana AIDS Commission Act, 2016 (Act 938), which mandates the establishment of Regional Committees to support the implementation of the Commission’s functions at the sub-national level.
Speaking at the ceremony on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, the Chairperson of the Governing Board of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Kakra Essamuah, indicated that members of the Regional Committee would perform the functions of the Ghana AIDS Commission in the region, as directed by the GAC Governing Board in writing.
He added that the Committee would, however, be responsible for regulating the procedures governing its meetings.
Fast-track-targets
He stressed that with hard work and commitment, the region could make significant progress towards achieving national HIV targets, particularly the 95-95-95 fast-track targets by 2030, which seeks to ensure that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95 per cent of people on treatment achieve viral suppression.
He said achieving those targets was critical to positioning Ghana favourably towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, said the Region remained a critical front in Ghana’s HIV response due to its high population density and mobility, and called on all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to fully integrate HIV interventions into their development plans to accelerate progress towards epidemic control.
The Acting Director of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, disclosed that the government was working assiduously to operationalise the National HIV and AIDS Fund, aimed at ensuring sustainable domestic financing for the HIV response amid declining donor support.
“This is the only way we can sustain and advance our national response,” he said, encouraging the public to support the Fund by dialling *9898# and following the prompts to donate.
Following the inauguration, a Greater Accra Regional HIV Stakeholders Forum was held to engage key actors, foster dialogue and align strategies to improve HIV prevention, treatment and care outcomes across the region.
Presenting on the 2024 National and Sub-National HIV Estimates for Greater Accra, Rita Afriyie, Technical Coordinator of the Greater Accra Technical Support Unit, indicated that the region continued to record a significant HIV burden, with variations across districts.
She explained that the data showed disparities in adult HIV prevalence among districts, underscoring the need for targeted, district-specific interventions.
She added that recent estimates pointed to a gradual reduction in HIV prevalence, new infections and AIDS-related deaths, a development largely attributed to increased uptake of antiretroviral therapy services.
Ms Afriyie emphasised that despite the progress made, sustained efforts were required to consolidate the gains achieved.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh
