Veep in USA for UN meeting on AIDS

Accra, June 8, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama is leading a government delegation to the UN General Assembly meeting on AIDS from June 8 to 10.

The session, which marks 30 years into the AIDS epidemic, will review progress and chart the future course of the global AIDS response, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Office of the Vice President. The statement signed by the Vice President's Spokesman, John Jinapor= , said the Vice President would address the meeting on Wednesday. HIV, he said, remained a key priority for the Mills Administration and was a key component of Ghana's Medium Term Development Plan, the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda 2010-2013.

Similarly, Ghana's HIV Strategic Plan for 2011-2015 is multi-sectora= l and in alignment with our health sector plan. "The response to HIV is accorded a high level of political commitmen= t and leadership in Ghana with the Ghana AIDS Commission placed directly unde= r the Office of the President," the statement added.

The Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr. Angela El-Adas, the Deputy Minister for Health, Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo and the Deputy Ministe= r for Foreign Affairs, Mr Chris Kpodo are accompanying the Vice President. After the UN meeting, the vice president would hold discussions with officials of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Global Fund. He would also travel to Houston, Texas, for a number of trade and investment meetings with various business chambers and multinational companies with interest in Ghana's energy and infrastructure sector.