Accra, Oct. 22, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Thursday called for increased private sector participation in maximizing financial and technical skills and competence to tackle the scourge of HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria on the continent. The government was aware of the huge untapped expertise and resources within the private sector in areas of governance, financial management, programme management, marketing, logistic management as well as in monitoring and evaluation which could be harnessed towards the national responses against the diseases.

He said it was now necessary for both government and corporate institutions to show full commitment and strong leadership for the responses to diseases of public health importance such as HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria, which the Global Fund has helped support over the past few years. Vice President Mahama, whose speech was read for him by Dr. Benjamin Kumbuor, the Deputy Minister of Health, at the opening of a global health partnership workshop in Accra, said private sector participation was of critical importance if Africa was to meet the targets set for Universal Access by 2010 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015. The Workshop, under the theme: "Understanding the Global Fund: Expanding Private Sector Participation in Global Fund Process," focuses on maximizing the critical role of the private sector and its contribution to the Global Fund process and their role in governance mechanisms, as co-investors, Principal recipients and as Sub-recipients. The 2009 West and Central African Technical workshop which was organized by Global Business Coalition on AIDS, TB and Malaria (GBC)in collaboration with the UNAIDS, ILO, GTZ and the Global Fund, attracted representatives from about 70 companies from around the globe to mainstream the private sector to the global and national responses to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Vice President Mahama said structures were already in place as part of Ghana's National Strategic Framework for HIV and AIDS to involve the private sector in executing the National HIV response with emphasis on workplace HIV programmes.

"Currently there is a global trend towards establishing coalition and networks at international, national, regional and sub-national levels in order to maximise the benefits of synergies, "he said. He said the Ghana Business Coalition against HIV and AIDS (GBCA) was launched in 2006 to serve as the Private Sector focal point in matters relating to the HIV and AIDS and ensures a more concerted and harmonized private sector front.

Vice President Mahama said to sustain the national programmes, there was the need to look beyond the Global Fund, to address the various responses which would require substantial private sector investment, political commitment and leadership, and sound exit strategies for funded programmes, to ensure meaningful country response into medium and long term frameworks.

He affirmed government's commitment to working closely with the private sector and other partners in fighting AIDS, TB and malaria, saying companies like AngloGold Ashanti in Ghana and BHP Billiton in Southern Africa had taken the lead in working closely with the private sector and other partners on the ground to support national HIV and AIDS responses.

He mentioned that AngloGold Ashanti under the Round 8 Grant within the dual track funding mechanism was partnering the National Malaria Control Programme to implement the scale-up of indoor residual spraying nationwide. Vice President Mahama said Ghana had created the needed momentum that should transcend across the continent and serve as a catalyst for greater impact in reducing the social and economic burden of the diseases. Dr John Tedstorm, President and Chief Executive Officer, Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria (GBC) said bringing together about 70 companies from across the globe, was a clear indication of the commitment showed by the corporate business society to the realization of the mobilization of massive resources to combat the diseases that were impeding global development.

He said though initial interventions had yielded some results, showing signs of progress in areas including supplies and reception of Anti-Retroviral Therapies (ARVs) and other supports for persons living with HIV and AIDS, as well as treatment for both TB and malaria, compared with five years ago when such opportunities were rare. He noted that current challenges such as drug resistance to malaria and increased rate of new HIV infections were impeding efforts of progress to eradicate the diseases and stressed on the need for total commitment on the part of all stakeholders as well as civil society groups towards the realization of the achievement of a Universal Access. Mr Daouda Toure, UN Resident Coordinator, noted that most countries would not achieve Universal Access by the year 2010 and the MDGs by 2015 as there was a lot to be done. He affirmed the UN System's commitments towards private sector partnerships and the optimization of capital and resources to combat the diseases.