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A call for more research for effective HIV and AIDS
programnme development
Accra, March 3, Ghanadot/GNA- Professor
Fred T. Sai, Presidential Advisor on HIV/AIDS, Reproductive
Health and Population Issues on Monday called for the
combination of basic sciences, clinical sciences with
serious social science research for effective HIV/AIDS
programme development.
He cited critical areas that needed urgent attention as
reasons for high feminization of the disease, vulnerability
of youth and the interaction of the virus and treatment with
the internal nutritional, pathologic environments of the
population and treatment.
“Perhaps, none of these should be more urgent than for us to
have our social scientists get the true facts about
stigmatization and discrimination”.
Prof. Sai, who made the call at the opening of a three-day
National HIV/AIDS Research Conference in Accra said without
research, “we are unable to continue to develop scientific
and evidence based preventive methodologies and safe and
user friendly treatments”.
The conference, which is the second to be held is under the
theme; “ Sustaining the Comprehensive National Response to
HIV” is aimed at providing opportunity for national and
international researchers to share information and discuss
implications of research results for further research,
policy and programme.
Organized by the Ghana AIDS Commission, over 400
participants both and international researchers, policy
makers and implementers would also discuss national response
to HIV and AIDS and initiate a process of developing
research priority.
The conference, would be looking at four main tracks in the
areas of social sciences, epidemiology and basic science,
clinical practice and interventions and best practices would
have seasons national and international experts with
up-to-date knowledge in their fields of endeavour from
Ghana, South Africa, Canada, United States and Switzerland.
Professor Sai noted that progress had been made considering
the landscape of HIV, adding, “Research has been at the
forefront of the epidemic since its onset and is paramount
to our understanding of the they determinants of the HIV and
AIDS epidemic”.
He cautioned Ghanaians not to be complacent with the recent
decline in the national HIV prevalence from 2.22 per cent in
2006 to 1.9 per cent in 2008 and urged stakeholders to
intensify their efforts in the area of behavioural change to
reduce it further.
“Whether rate of infection if HIV will remain low
indefinitely or not will largely depend on our knowledge of
factors that influence the spread of the epidemic and how
this knowledge can be translated to more effective policies
and evidence-based interventions”.
He called for the need to deepen the understanding of basic
behavioural and social science studies to clearly identify
risk factors and vulnerable populations.
Prof. Sai commended all development partners for their
support to the national response and insisting on promoting
relevant research and called on corporate, religious and
other civil society groups to also help in research.
He also commended the media for its increased reportage on
HIV/AIDS and expressed the hope the conference would open up
more dialogue with researchers and enable them to make
proposals on ways to work closely with researchers.
Professor Sakyi Awuku Amoa, Director General of the Ghana
AIDS Commission said recommendations made at the first
conference in 2004 have been implemented in a way that have
influenced national response which had begun to show
positive results.
He said the 2007 HIV sentinel survey showed a decline in the
national prevalence rate from 2.22 per cent in 2006 to 1.9
in 2007.
He said the decline in the prevalence rate indicated that
the epidemic was stabilizing in Ghana although it was most
pronounced among active sexual and social behaviours such as
the youth.
Prof Amoa said in spite of the low prevalence rate compared
to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana had not
relented in efforts to employ effective measures in managing
the epidemic to prevent further spread.
The Director General said effective and well coordinated
research was key to harness efforts aimed at educating the
populace on factors that contribute to the spread of
HIV/AIDS and this was why the Commission was collaborating
with stakeholders to hold such an importance conference.
He expressed optimism that in the course of the conference,
gaps, critical issues and challenges of HIV/AIDS research in
Ghana that needed to be addressed would be highlighted.
Mr Daouda Toure, United Nations Coordinator, expressed the
hope that the conference would review collectively, national
efforts and set agenda for the future by sharing scientific
evidence, lesson learnt and best practices with a view of
devising ways of sustaining a comprehensive national
response.
He pledged the continuous technical and financial support of
development partners to work in sustaining a comprehensive
national response.
GNA
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