Author: Maame Owusuaa Oppong || Reporter
The Ghana HIV & AIDS Network (GHANET), Network of Persons Living with HIV (NAP+), and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Health have joined forces to appeal to the government, to include the National HIV and AIDS Fund in the 2023 budget.
Briefing the media, the President of GHANET, Ernest Ortsin on behalf of the other groups disclosed that, the lives of members are in grave danger if authorities continue to heed deaf ears.
Throwing more light, about 250, 000 adults and 12,000 children living with the virus are in critical condition and there is the need to assist financially in other to prolong their livelihood.
According to him, the Global Fund which has been the single largest donor of the National HIV and AIDS response since 2002, will soon cut back on its support to Ghana, especially with regard to the supply of free Antiretroviral medications and other essential commodities required in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
He said, new HIV infections in the last 5 years alone have averaged 19, 000 per year according to the National AIDS/STI Control Programme, and described it as unacceptable.
The GHANET president also reminded the First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Akuffo Addo that, there was no way the nation could eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and AIDS by 2030 if it do not make resources available for the fight.
The groups, however, appealed to donor partners, particularly the global fund, UNAIDS, WHO PEPFAR/USAID, and others to continuously give to the country.
