Western Regional Committee of GAC inaugurated

By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA

Sekondi, June 27, GNA – The eight-member Western Regional Committee of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) have been urged to strategize and adopt more innovative means to reduce the HIV and AIDs epidemic and also realize the 90-90-90 targets.

The ambitious 90-90-90 targets set by the GAC, is to ensure that by 2020, 90 per cent of people infected with HIV know their statues, also 90 per cent diagnosed HIV receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, with the 90 per cent on antiretroviral having a significant viral suppression.

President Nana Akufo-Addo’s inaugural speech, which was read by Dr Leticia Appiah, GAC Board Member and Executive Director of the Population Council, said achieving the targets was necessary to position the nation favourably towards ending AIDS by 2030, in line with the UN sustainable Development Goals.

He  said at the heart of achieving the targets, was the need to strengthen resource mobilization drive, “therefore, the government is working assiduously to establish the national HIV and AIDS fund to ensure that national response is financially self-reliant.”

The President noted that, the above was the only means to sustain and advance national support in the face of dwindling global support.

"As a nation, we pride ourselves for having achieved a generally low prevalence rate, which is at 1.67 in 2017 for the general population. However, new infections are on the increase and therefore there is no room for complacency…we must work hard to end AIDS as a public health threat", the President added.

Mrs Justice Hannah Taylor, a High Court Judge, who swore-in the members, chaired by the Regional Minister Dr Kwaku Afriyie, charged them to perform their duties with the utmost sense of responsibility and abide by the dictates of the oath of office and secrecy they had sworn.

Mrs Eugenia Gifty Kusi, the Deputy Regional Minister said with the regional prevalence rate standing at 2.4 per cent, the work of the committee was critical in controlling the disease.

“The setting up of the committee is like putting new oil into an engine to help propel the reduction in the spread of the HIV and AIDS disease”, she added.

GNA

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