A nine-member committee has been inaugurated by President Nana Akufo-Addo to steer the affairs of the Ghana Aids Commission in the Eastern Region.
The committee is mandated to champion the 90-90-90 target of eradicating HIV/AIDS by the year 2030.
The strategy is to ensure that by 2020, 90 percent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and by 2020, 90 percent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy suppress the virus.
As part of their duties, the committee members will oversee the testing, counseling, education and provision and distribution of logistics and items needed in ensuring the targets are reached.
The committee will be chaired by Eric Kwakye Darfour, the Eastern Regional Minister and member of Parliament of Nkawkaw.
He will be supported by Abdullai Addmore Saidu, Agnes Agbeko, Nana Osei Nyarko, Cynthia Anim, Rev. Michael Owusu Tagoe, Dr. Antobre Boateng, Acheampong Fianko and Golda Asante.
Dr. Mubarak Osei-Kwasi, a Ghana Aids Commission board member who delivered an inaugural address on behalf of the President, charged the committee to work assiduously to achieve the global target.
“As members of the board in the Region, you shall be responsible for ensuring the control of HIV and prevalence at the regional level, provide leadership, planning, and support for all HIV programs, mobilize resources and monitor the utilization of the resources to attain results.”
“I believe with the trust reposed in you to deliver you will work tirelessly to support the government’s efforts to achieve our goals to end this epidemic.”
After the swearing in of the members which was supervised by His Worship Eric Daning, a Koforidua District Court Judge who administered the oath of office to the new members, the Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Darfour promised to work with the other members to make strides in achieving an HIV free society.
“I strongly believe that this inauguration of the Eastern Regional Committee of the Ghana Aids Commission today is earmarked to give the committee a grand start, and it is expected to reposition the members on a continued path for fruitful engagement with key stakeholders in the region and beyond.”
The Technical Coordinator at the Technical Support Unit of the Ghana Aids Commission in the Eastern Region Madam Golda Asante in a Citi News interview indicated that members of the committee would be equipped technically to carry out their mandate.
“We will meet with the members and try to go into details of what is really expected from them and their functions. We will again build their capacity because the field of HIV is very technical so we will bring them up to speed with relevant issues and various terminologies to help them in their engagements.”
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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
