On Wednesday, 11^th August, 2021, the Twifo/Ati-Morkwa District Committee of Ghana Aids Commission (GAC) was inaugurated at the Twifo/Ati-Morkwa District Assembly Hall. The committee is made up of nine (9) members listed below:

1. The District Chief Executive as the Chairman
2. The District Director of Health
3. The District Director of Education
4. One representative of the Network of Associations of Persons living with HIV
5. One representative of a Civil Society organization that deals with HIV and AIDS
6. One representative nominated by a Christian Group
7. One representative nominated by the Federation of Muslim and Ahmadiyya Mission
8. One representative from the Traditional Council or Authority: and
9. The District HIV Focal Person.

Dignitaries present at the inauguration were the Honorable District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Twifo/Ati-Morkwa District – Robert Agyemang-Nyantakyi, the District Co-ordinating Director (DCD) for Twifo/Ati-Morkwa – Mr. Bernard K. P. Sakyiama, the District Magistrate – His Worship Maxwell Ofori Kpodo, the Regional Technical Co-ordinator of Ghana AIDS Commission – Mr. William K. Yeboah and the Regional Measurement and Evaluation Officer of Ghana AIDS Commission – Mrs. Joana Mensah.

Mr. Bernard K. P. Sakyiama (DCD) while delivering the Statement of Purpose to the gathering, expressed his state of euphoria for the honor bestowed upon him. He said that in Ghana, the Ghana AIDS Commission is an institution set to combat HIV/AIDS and Acts 938 also gives the Ghana AIDS Commission the mandate to form a committee for the Ghana AIDS Commission in every District to help curb the upsurge of AIDS in every District. He encouraged members of the committee to contribute their quota in combating the deadly HIV/AIDS in the District.

In the stead of the Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Mr. William K. Yeboah (RTC-GAC) delivered the inaugural address and extended his hearty welcome to all present on behalf of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Chairman of the Ghana AIDS Commission Governing Board. He said that in the early days of the epidemic, the national response was driven by the health sector, however, in response to the changing dynamics of the epidemic, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) was established under the GAC Act 2002 – Act 613, with a multi-sectoral mandate to coordinate the national HIV and AIDS response. He acknowledged that indeed, Ghana had made impressive progress in our national HIV and AIDS response. He said that the National HIV and AIDS response agenda is gearing up to implement its Strategic Plan for 2021-2025 and is seeking “to achieve epidemic control and Fast Track Targets of the 95-95-95 by 2025” which simply means:

• 95% of all people infected with HIV should know their status
• 95% of all people diagnosed to have HIV would receive sustained anti-retroviral therapy
• 95% of people receiving anti-retroviral therapy would have viral suppression.

On behalf on the Regional Minister, Hon. Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan, the Hon. District Chief Executive (DCE)-Robert Agyemang-Nyantakyi mentioned a few of the mandates of the Twifo/Ati-Morkwa District Committee of the Ghana AIDS Commission and amongst them were;

• Maintaining oversight responsibility over the local-level of HIV and AIDS response
• Overseeing and monitoring implementation of HIV activities
• Collating work plans and program data from implementing partners (IPs)
• Ensuring timely and accurate reports are received from IPs, collated and forwarded to the regional level
• Utilizing data generated within the District for advocacy
• Lobbying for resources and funding
• Disseminating information on HIV at the District level.

He finally urged all members to carefully reflect on how best each individual could help achieve the Committee’s ultimate goal.

The District Committee of Ghana AIDS Commission were sworn into office by His worship Maxwell Kpodo Ofori the District Magistrate under official oath and oath of secrecy.