Health News of Tuesday, 5 July 2016

Source: GNA

Ghana AIDS Commission inaugurates committee

The Ghana AIDS Commission has launched its Social Accountability Monitoring Committee (SAMC) in Northern Region and tasked members with the responsibility to work and improve service delivery.

The West Africa AIDS Foundation is implementing the the programme to improve service delivery, social mobilization and advocacy for social accountability especially in the communities and Home Based Care (CHBC).

Dr. Angela EL-Adas, Director-General of the Commission in a speech read on her behalf said the Committee was to promote group cohesion by creating a platform for representatives of the various organizations, which formed the SAMCs to interact and build rapport.

She said the members are expected to provide an avenue for service providers and key stakeholders to share ideas as well as address bottlenecks in service delivery.

She also urged SAMC Committee members to monitor the activities of partners, transparency of process and prompt response to HIV and TB issues across the country.

Dr. EL-Adas disclosed that the country has launched UNAIDS first 90 campaign on Sustainable Development Goals this year which was targeted to test six million people by 2017.

She said one of the major activities planned was for each region to have a regional consultative meeting where a platform would be created for stakeholders to understand the first 90 concert and also develop a comprehensive plan for the implementation of the campaign.

Mr James T. Moari, a Deputy Director from the Northern Regional Coordinating Council stated that Northern region prevalence has experienced 100 per cent increase from 0.6 per cent in 2014 to 1.2 per cent in 2015.

He called on the Ghana AIDS Commission and other partners to roll out more activities that would educate people to test and know their status.

He urged the Committee to make good use of the regional AIDS Committee and the TSU for effective delivery of their mandate.