The first lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo has called for concerted efforts in ending Mother-to-child transmission of HIV and other health conditions that affect the well-being of women and children in the country.
Speaking at the launch of the National Acceleration Plan for Paediatric HIV Services at Ho in the Volta region on Thursday, she underscored the need for an all-hand-on-deck approach to ensure HIV free generation and safe motherhood.
“Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is about 10 per cent and coverage of care for children and adolescents is still very low; below 30 per cent. This is why I find it very necessary and timely to launch this plan to drive us to urgently move beyond business as usual, to fast track the implementation of critical services for our children and adolescents,” she noted.
She also accentuated the need for women to undertake periodic breast screening for early detection and treatment of any breast cancer condition, which is leading women to their early grave.
The 5-year Paediatric HIV Services action plan, developed by the Ghana Health Service and its partners in conjunction with the National AIDS Control Programme, is aimed at putting 90 percent of all children and adolescents living with HIV on treatment by the year 2020.
According to the 2016 HIV Sentinel Survey report, HIV Prevalence amongst expectant mothers attending antenatal clinic was 2.4 per cent nationwide, with the Volta and Brong Ahafo regions recording the highest prevalence rate of 2.7 per cent.
Deputy Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Gloria Quansah, said the service was poised to ensure the full implementation of the plan, as a 15-member task team under the technical leadership of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) has been constituted to work towards the realization of the plan’s objectives.
Helen Odido, a representative of the Joint UN team on AIDS, called for adequate resource allocation towards the implementation of the National Acceleration Plan for Paediatric HIV Services, so as to improve the low coverage of HIV treatment among adolescents.
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa entreated residents of the region to voluntarily check their HIV status in order to fashion out ways to keep safe with or without the virus.
He also commended the first lady for using the region to start her ‘Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission: Key to an HIV free Generation and Keeping Mothers Alive,’ advocacy campaign in the country.
The campaign, which is an initiative between the Ghana Chapter of the Organization of African First Ladies against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA), Ghana AIDS Commission and a host of partners, includes a Community health outreach activities, where free HIV, breast cancer and general health screening was provided to residents of the Ho Municipality.
Mrs. Akufo-Addo who is a steering committee member of OAFLA, also presented assorted food items to the association of Persons Living with HIV in the region.
