Operationalise HIV/AIDS Fund – GHANET urges gov’t

The Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) is urging the government to operationalize the National HIV/AIDS Fund, warning that the fight against HIV/AIDS may be severely hindered without it.

In 2016, Ghana took a significant step towards combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic by establishing the National HIV/AIDS Fund, mandated by the Ghana AIDS Commission Act (Act 938).

However, eight years later, the fund remains dormant, leaving the country’s HIV/AIDS response in a precarious state. The lack of funding has resulted in a significant gap in the country’s HIV/AIDS response. The USAID funding freeze has exacerbated the situation, leaving the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) struggling to maintain their programs. Mass media campaigns, outreach programs in academic institutions, local communities, and other essential services have been halted due to the funding shortfall.

The consequences of not operationalizing the National HIV/AIDS Fund are dire. Without sufficient funding, the country may struggle to procure life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) medications, putting the lives of people living with HIV at risk. The organization believes that with sufficient funding, the country can leverage its existing capacity for local production of ARVs to meet its needs.

President of GHANET, Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin warns that the absence of the fund has already led to a rise in new infections and AIDS-related deaths. He made the call during the launch of the 2025 World AIDS Day in Accra on November 4.

‘‘We are calling on the government to prioritize the operationalization of the National HIV/AIDS Fund to address the funding gap. Look, this is long overdue. Since 2016. We have been following up, and we understand they are waiting for a seed money from government which will encourage other organizations and individuals to also donate. If we want to end AIDS in 2030, then we need to operationalize the fund’’ he said.

In response to the call, the Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission Dr. Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, assured that processes are on course to see the operationalization of the fund soon. Emphasizing the need for increased domestic financing and partnership between the government, civil society organizations, development partners, and the private sector.

Approximately 151,000 people are currently on treatment, but the number of individuals living with HIV is estimated to be much higher, around 334,000.

Source: 3news.com