Sunyani, April 25, GNA – The Ghana HIV and AIDS Network says the nation needs to invest and strengthen community-led health rights interventions to achieve the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all by 2030.
Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional Chairman of the Network, comprising civil society actors in health, said local communities ought to be empowered in the use of digital technologies for effective data collections on health systems.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani about the preparedness of the country to achieve the United Nations UHC by 2030, Mr Ahenu, also the Bono Regional Coordinator of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health said adequate resources were needed at the community levels for People Living with HIV and AIDS to easily access health services.
He explained that efficient use of digital technologies in gathering reliable data would empower and position local communities well to hold duty-bearers and policy-makers accountable and address existing gaps and injustices, inequalities and barriers to HIV and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR).
This would push vigorous community-led advocacy, demand creation and service deliveries, as well as investments in independent, community-led research and evidence-gathering for improved implementation of policies and programmes he indicated.
Mr Ahenu who is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Media Foundation, a media advocacy NGO said, enough and dedicated funding support was required at the community level, regretting that the current funding streams in the country did not consider community organisations.
He said innovative approaches were required to develop funding streams that promoted equal access to funding so that key populations, including people living with HIV at the community level could be actively involved in monitoring progress of global and national commitments on HIV and AIDS as well as SRHR.
“Currently, there is a shrinking civic space for communities and organisations involved in SRHR and HIV response”, Mr Ahenu stated.
“Key population-led movements and networks of people living with HIV are working in hostile environments that limit their capacity to document violations and speak up for their rights.
“Consequently, they remain inadequately equipped and resourced to document and address relationship between human rights, sexual orientation, as well as gender identity rights and access to SRHR and HIV services in their advocacy efforts”, he noted.
Source: Ghana News Agency
Add Comment