GAC Inaugurates HIV Committees in Bono Region to Intensify Local Response

Sunyani: The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has inaugurated HIV and AIDS Committees in the 12 administrative districts and municipalities of the Bono Region to intensify prevention, awareness creation, and response activities at the local level. Each of the nine-member committees is chaired by the respective Municipal or District Chief Executive and includes the municipal or district director of health, a representative of the Ghana Education Service, civil society organisations, traditional authorities, faith-based organisations, Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV), and an HIV focal person at the assembly. According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim Bambilla, the Bono Regional Technical Coordinator of the GAC, stressed the importance of diligence and proactivity in deepening HIV and AIDS interventions in the region. He explained that the reconstitution and integration of the committees were aimed at strengthening stakeholder collaboration to curb the spread of HIV and AIDS at the local level. Mr Bambilla high lighted that the committees have the authority to co-opt additional members whose expertise might be required, noting that the Bono Region has consistently recorded the highest HIV prevalence in the country over the past three years. He emphasized the need to strengthen decentralised structures, noting that the committees serve as the highest decision-making bodies for HIV-related activities within their respective assemblies. Mr Bambilla expressed concern about inadequate funding for HIV and AIDS response from the District Assembly Common Fund, urging assemblies to supplement allocations with their Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to support HIV programmes. The committees are expected to submit periodic reports to the Regional Committee to ensure accountability and enhance effective implementation of HIV and AIDS activities. Mr Bambilla encouraged the committees to design context-specific interventions, explaining that the terrain, demographics, and challenges vary across districts and municipalities and t herefore require tailored approaches rather than uniform strategies. He stated, 'Based on your understanding of the local environment and challenges, you can come out with interventions to mitigate those challenges so that together we can improve the district-level HIV response.'