The Ho West District Assembly has inaugurated a nine-member District Committee of the Ghana AIDS Commission on 1st June, 2021 at the district assembly hall to provide a high level of advocacy for HIV and AIDS prevention and control activities in the district.
The committee chaired by the District Chief Executive, Mr. Ernest Victor Apau is expected to initiate interventions, to mobilize resources both financial and technical towards developing programmes to reduce stigmatization of patients as well as sensitize residents on HIV/AIDS matters.
Hon Apau in a brief statement urged members to find innovative ways of curbing HIV/AIDS. He also entreated all committee members to be dedicated and committed to the objectives of the committee.
Delivering the welcome address on behalf of the President at the inauguration, Rev Gershon Kwame Osei, a Regional Board member of the Ghana AIDS commission state that the initial District and Municipal AIDS Committee have been replaced with District and Municipal Committee of the Ghana AIDS Commission with membership slightly modified under section 9 of the GAC Act, 2016, Act 938.
He stated that the District Committee was to perform the functions in the district to enable the commission achieve the 95-95-95 fast track targets towards ending AIDS by 2030 by having 95% of all people infected with HIV should know their states, 95% of all people diagnosed to have HIV received sustained anti-retroviral therapy and 95% of people receiving anti-retroviral treatment would have viral suppression.
Mr. Osei disclosed that as a district, the estimated Adult HIV prevalence was 0.82% with 36 estimated new infections in 2019, hence no room for complacency. He therefore charged the committee to support government in its drive to achieve he set target to end AIDS as a public health treat by 2020 amid dwindling of donor support.
Mr. Courage Botchway, the Regional AIDS Coordinator presented the mandate and scope of the committee to members.
Her Worship Mrs Comfort A. Apalayine administered the Official Oath and the Oath of Secrecy to swear-in members of the committee. After administering the oaths, she stated that the committee could call on the District Court for legal assistance or advise in the pursuit of protecting their rights.
The membership of the committee is made up of the District Chief Executive, District Health Director, District Education Director, Representative of Coalition of NGOs in Health, Representative of Persons Living with HIV, Traditional Council, Christian Council, Moslem Council and District HIV/AIDS Focal Person.