Health NGOs appeal to donors

Accra, Feb. 27, GNA - The Association of Health Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Ghana on Monday appealed to the donor agencies to convert the 45 million dollars loan facility given to Ghana to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic into grants in view of the country's economic status.

In an official statement issued in Accra, the Association said loans sourced from the International Development Association of the World Bank, Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and the British Department for International Development were woefully inadequate, even though they was highly appreciated. According to the Association Ghana needed to raise about 300 million dollars to enable it to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS pandemic effectively and appealed to other donor agencies, foreign embassies and commissions and the international community and foundations to support the Ghana Aids Commission in raising the money.

It said to meaningfully combat the alarming spread of HIV/AIDS, the nation needed to adopt a broad-based all-inclusive and comprehensive strategy backed with huge financial support. The Government contracted a World Bank loan of 25 million dollars to fight the disease from 2001 to 2005 and another 20 million dollars to continue the fight from 2006 to 2010.

The statement also urged the Government to put the HIV/AIDS component of the Global Fund being managed by the Ministry of Health through the National AIDS Control Programme and the management of all other funds under the AIDS Commission to ensure uniformity in the disbursement of funds for the control of HIV/AIDS. 27 Feb. 06