Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo
The Volta Region has been ranked highest in the Southern zone for being able to achieve the 1st and 2nd 90 of the 2020 Global UNAIDS 90-90-90 inspirational targets.
The Eastern Region came in second for being able to achieve only the 1st 90 says the Programme Manager for National AIDS Control Programme, Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo.
He disclosed this at a joint Tuberculosis (TB), HIV/STI Control Programmes zonal based annual performance review meeting for the year 2020.
The Southern Zone of the Performance Review meeting for Volta , Greater Accra, Eastern and Oti Regions was held on the 16th and 17th February, 2021 in Ho.
Dr. Ayisi Addo said the Oti and Greater Accra regions were unable to achieve any of the 90s at the end of 2020. “None of the 16 regions achieved the 3rd 90 in Ghana,” he said.
The HIV/STI Programmes Manager further noted that the country achieved only 73-83-73 due to several challenges including the impact of Covid-19.
Additionally, no region in Ghana has also been able to achieve virtual elimination of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV.
Dr, Ayisi Addo emphasized the need for all regions to double up efforts because the global targets have been revised to 95-95-95 by 2025 towards HIV epidemic control by 2030.
Programme Manager of the National TB Control Programme, Dr. Yaw Adusi-Poku, giving the updates for TB revealed that the TB/HIV related death rate was 19% for the year 2020 adding that the data from the Teaching Hospitals on TB was low whereas the trend of National TB notification declined rapidly in 2020.
He lamented the long waiting time in initiating Drug Resistant TB cases on Second Line TB treatment which varied widely between regions.
Dr. Adusi-Poku reporting on the key findings of the review said the procedure for disbursement varied from region to region.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri