The Savannah Regional Coordinating Council was privileged to host the Director General of the Ghana Aids Commission: Dr. Steve Gyeremeh Atuahene who was on an official mission to the Region.
Madam Bukari Addisah: the Regional focal personal who is also one of the deputy directors at the SRCC, dramatically opened the discussions.
Receiving the team on behalf of the Hon. Regional Minister, the Municipal Coordinating Director; Mr. Petro, said the Region was more than happy to welcome the Director General of the Ghana Aids Commission to a new Region like the Savannah Region. According to him, it was an opportunity for the director to see the reality of things for himself. He reiterated that matters of the HIV have a bearing on development and as such, have been captured in their medium and long term development content. He requested for the establishment of a permanent staff and secretariat of the Commission in the Region to fast track the projection of HIV issues.
When he took his turn, the Director General who was accompanied by some unit directors such as the technical and finance, could not hide his joy, stating straight away that the priveillance of HIV was a national canker threatening the man-power and economic standing of Ghana as a whole. For this reason he said, the president of the Republic of Ghana is the chairman of the Commission. As a result he said, it will require the hand of every Ghanaian particularly, the chiefs, the clergy and other duty bearers to successful defeat the enemy. He pointed out that both Regional and local level committees of the Commission would soon be activated in the newly created regions with particular emphasis on the Savannah Region where he said a full secretariat would be established as soon as there was space available for the purpose.
Interacting with the local level committee members, the Director General encouraged them to place emphasis on: prevention, treatment and stigmatization assuring that as soon as the various structures were established, the needful logistics would be availed to them to effectively deliver on their responsibilities. He pleaded with management of the SRCC to support as and when necessary to make the game winnable.
Responding to a few questions bothering on inauguration of existing committees and adequate logistics, the Director said that committee members will have to receive appointment letters from the presidency before the inauguration can be administered. On the part of the logistics, he reiterated that as soon as the various structures including the Regional Committee were in place, the necessary logistics would be made available.
The Municipal Coordinating Director in his closing remarks joined the Committee members in appealing to the DG. to take special interest in ensuring that Savannah Region gets a priority attention in this regard. There was a symbolic hand over of some materials to the Committee.
