Elmina, Sept. 9, GNA- The Ghana AIDS Response Fund (GARFUND), has provided 5.8 billion cedis to the public and private sectors, to engage in educational campaigns against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The Central Regional Minster, Mr Isaac Edumadze announced this in a speech read on his behalf, at a day's Stakeholders' Forum, on the reproductive health situation in the Region, at Elmina on Thursday. He said although the GARFUND had helped to scale-up HIV/AIDS activities in the Region, the coverage was not far- reaching and appealed to the donor community to commit resources to expand the scope. Mr Edumadze also expressed the need for the mobilization of local resources to complement government efforts to stem the spread of the virus.

The Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Aaron Offei said only 37.7 per cent of expectant mothers, deliver at the health centres, leading to an increase in the maternal and child mortality rate.

He said the forum, was organised to brainstorm on how to improve the quality of health care.

Professor Naana Opoku-Agyeman, Dean of Graduate Studies, at the University of Cape Coast, who presided, noted that good health was fundamental to the socio-economic development of the Region and the nation as a whole.

She therefore, echoed the importance of evolving the requisite measures to enhance health care delivery.