Microsoft Word 02Preface doc

2)
 
AIDS Control   
Since the first HIV/AIDS case was detected in Ghana, the HIV/AIDS epidemic seems 
to have spread slowly but steadily.    Accordingly, in 1987, the GOG established the 
Ghana National AIDS/STI Control Programme under the Disease Control Unit of the 
MOH to be responsible for issues related HIV/AIDS.    However, in the absence of a 
multi-sectoral arrangement, the NACP has not been able to reach its goals due to the 
extensive demands on it.  In 2002, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) was 
established under the leadership of the president to coordinate the implementation of a 
multi-sectoral response. 
According to the results of the HIV sentinel survey by the NACP, the mean prevalence 
rate of the population aged 15 to 49 years has fluctuated between 2.8 and 3.9%.    The 
implementation of the “National Strategic Framework on HIV/AIDS for 2001-2005” 
by the GAC consists of the following five key areas of intervention. 
 
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Prevention of new transmission 
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Care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS 
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Reducing individual and societal vulnerability and susceptibility to HIV/AIDS 
through the creation of an enabling environment   
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Decentralized implementation and institutional arrangements 
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Research, monitoring and evaluation 
 
To achieve these objectives, activities have recently been launched for the prevention 
of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) for 
opportunistic infections in Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) centres.    This 
framework also considers the human rights of females and children in accordance with 

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the high prevalence rate among females.    In addition, it is also concerned with mutual 
health promotion between HIV/AIDS and malaria control programs due to the high 
risk of malaria transmission from HIV/AIDS carriers.