GOV THROWS LIFELINE TO HIV/AIDS PATIENTS

Ms. Angela El AdasDirector General Ghana AIDS Commission

THE  GOVERNMENT has made funds available for he provision of  anti-retroviral treatment to about  20,000 new HIV/AIDS case this year, the Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr. Angela el Adas has announced in Kumasi.

Dr. el Adas disclosed further at the National HIV focal persons conference in Kumasi, attended by HIV focal persons drawn from various implementing agencies in the country, that  innovative ways of raising funds to support the anti-retroviral treatment in 2014 will also be sought.

The objective of the conference was to discuss the role of HIV focal persons in their respective agencies towards the successful implementation of the National HIV/AIDS strategic plan 2011-2015.

The conference also provided a unique opportunity for participants to engage in frank exchange of ideas with special reference to their peculiarities, with the view to evolving common approaches towards up-scaling their activities within the context of the strategic plan.

The Ghana AIDS Commission boss has therefore called on corporate bodies in the country to go an extra mile by partnering government in finding resources to fund treatment and prevention of the disease.

She said about 23,000 HIV/AIDS patients have been registered under the national health insurance scheme. The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah entreated HIV focal persons to show keen interest in the knowledge to be imparted at the conference.

He noted that even Ghana AIDS Commission has made tremendous strides towards reducing the National HIV/AIDS prevalence rate which stood at 2.9 percent in 2009, the prevalence rate in some parts of the country is simply unacceptable