WRCC forms HIV/AIDS Response Fund

The Western Regional Coordinating Council (WRCC) has established a GH?400,000 Regional HIV/AIDS Response Fund to complement the efforts of the government and the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) to adequately respond to HIV/AIDS related issues.

Mr. Abu Mahama, the Regional Technical Coordinator of the GAC, said an 11-member Management Board of the fund which is to be launched in August this year has been formed with the Regional Minister, Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, as the chairman.

Mr. Mahama said the fund will focus on addressing HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination.

Mr. Mahama said the fund would also support People Living with HIV/AIDS to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme and to form cooperatives to enable them to obtain soft loans to embark on income generating ventures.

He said orphans, vulnerable children and dependents of People Living with HIV/AIDS, as well as commercial sex workers would be assisted to acquire employable skills and learn trades.

Mr. Mahama said, depending on the amount raised, the fund would assist hospitals to procure CD4 count machines to monitor the viral load of people exposed to the virus, to implement interventions to strengthen their immune systems.

There are 14 CD4 count machines in the Region, he said, and this was not enough to cater for about the 12,653 People Living with HIV/AIDS in the area.

Mr. Mahama said there are about 3,448 people on anti-retroviral drugs and 3,318 HIV positive pregnant women in the Region.**