A day’s forum has been organised by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) to mark this year’s World AIDS Day in Accra, as part of a series of activities earmarked for the commemoration of the event.

This year’s occasion is being celebrated on the global theme: “Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility with the localised one as; Stay Safe, Let’s End AIDS by 2030.”

Speaking at the forum, the Presidential Advisor on HIV and AIDS, Dr Mokowa Blay Adu-Gyemfi, said Ghana had done well in the management of the disease, since it was first identified in the country in the mid-1980s, and there was the need to continue to ensure that the war against the disease was won.

She also noted that in keeping with best international practices, community-based HIV prevention and care programmes were being scaled up with strong linkages with health facilities across the country for speedy initiation of newly diagnosed persons on antiretroviral treatment.

The Director-General of GAC, Mr Kyeremeh Atuahene, said Ghana had made tremendous progress in the HIV response, particularly in scaling up testing and treatment services, increasing the number of antiretroviral treatment centres and increasing coverage of testing and treatment of pregnant mothers and their exposed babies.

In addition, he said significant progress had been made in the area of data system strengthening, which had enhanced data capture and data use across the country.

Mr Atuahene said these positive developments placed Ghana in a stronger position to perform better and achieve great results in the next phase of HIV response, which would be guided by the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2021-2025.