Integrate HIV/AIDS services with Sexual Reproductive Health to reduce cost-Mahama

Mr John Eliasu Mahama, Programmes Officer for Alliance For Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), an NGO has stressed the need for integration of HIV/AIDS services and Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) activities for the effective and efficient utilisation of resources provided by Global Fund Proposal for Ghana.
He said such integration would also provide clients with a holistic approach to their reproductive needs to improve their health status.
Mr Mahama made the call at a day's workshop on mobilizing for SRH/HIV integration in Kumasi on Thursday.
The workshop attended by 34 participants from civil society organizations across the country was aimed at mobilizing and sensitizing partners working with ARHR on integrating SRH and HIV/AIDS to boost monitoring the Global Fund Proposal for Ghana.
He noted that the integration would increase efficiency and cost effectiveness of both programmes to help reduce the pandemic in the country.
Mr Mahama said over 70 per cent of HIV/AIDS infections were acquired through sex or transmission from mother to child at birth and breast feeding and the integration would serve the needs of clients and health care providers in a more comprehensive manner.
Mr Selorme Kofi Azumah, Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator of ARHR, said HIV/AIDS services should be linked with family planning, maternal and infant health services, adolescent and gender SRH services.
He called for the promotion of HIV/AIDS prevention in uninfected mothers because infection rates in the post partum period were high in most countries.
Mr Azumah said with the limited resources and expertise available in the public sector, it was necessary to seek partnership to provide nutritional support for pregnant women and lactating mothers.