Ending HIV/ AIDS possible – Kweku Afriyie

Donor funding for HIV and AIDS in the country has reduced from 75 to 33 per cent, in the last two decades, the Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Dr Kyereme Atuahene, has revealed.

The Director-General made the revelation at the media launch of this year’s World Aids Day on the theme: ‘Let Communities Lead’ which will take place on 1 December 2023.

Dr Atuahene is, therefore, calling for bridging of the gaps internally in the treatment of HIV and AIDs in order to avoid a reverse in the progress made.

According to the Director-General of the AIDS Commission, the country risks the gains made in the scientific advancement in ART, if drug-funding remained dependent 100 per cent on donors.

Dr Atuahene said: “In response to this critical need, the government set up the national HIV and AIDS fund to provide adequate funding for the HIV response.

“It is for this reason that the Commission has embarked on a resource mobilisation campaign for individuals and corporate Ghana to donate to the fund.”

Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and Executive Oversight Minister, Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kweku Afriyie, indicated that when it comes to the achievement of the United Nations (UN) 95-95-95 treatment target by the year 2025 and on the path to ending AIDS by 2030, the country was not making progress.

He assured that government was working to address the stigmatization and discrimination that people living with HIV experience as part of efforts to make the disease a normal ailment.

The Minister stressed that: “Ending HIV/AIDS is possible and it is within our grasp if we allow communities to lead with the right resources and support and commended all stakeholders, local and international, for their diverse roles in HIV and AIDS national response.”