Ho west: The Ho West District Assembly has inaugurated a nine-member District HIV/AIDS Committee under the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) to coordinate and strengthen efforts at combating HIV/AIDS within the district. The committee is led by Mr. Profer Francis Dusey, the District Chief Executive (DCE), and includes representatives from the health, education, religious, traditional, and civil society sectors.
According to Ghana News Agency, the committee comprises the District Director of Health Services, the District Director of Education, a representative of the Network of Associations of Persons Living with HIV, a representative of a Civil Society Organization working on HIV/AIDS, and representatives from Christian and Muslim groups, as well as the Traditional Council. The District HIV/AIDS Focal Person will serve as Secretary to the committee.
The committee is expected to spearhead advocacy, education, prevention, and support programmes aimed at reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS and addressing related public health concerns in the district. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on May 8, 2026, Mr. Dusey emphasized the need for collective action in the fight against HIV/AIDS, highlighting it as a continuing public health concern despite progress in awareness creation, testing, counseling, treatment, and support services.
Mr. Dusey urged members of the committee to intensify public education, promote voluntary testing, combat stigma and discrimination, and support persons living with HIV/AIDS with dignity and compassion. He called on the members to work with dedication, teamwork, confidentiality, and commitment to improve public health outcomes, particularly among the youth and vulnerable populations.
Madam Mary Naa Asheley Anyomi, Volta Regional Technical Officer of the Ghana AIDS Commission, provided an overview of the HIV/AIDS situation in the country, region, and districts. She noted that although significant progress had been made, sustained public education and stronger community involvement are needed to eliminate stigma and discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Madam Asheley explained that the committee would develop and implement strategies to enhance awareness creation, voluntary testing, counseling, and access to support services across the district. She encouraged members to collaborate closely with health institutions, schools, religious organizations, traditional authorities, and community-based groups to ensure effective implementation of HIV/AIDS interventions.