The United States, through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), joined with the government of Ghana to commemorate international World AIDS Day 2020. 

Both nations noted the positive progress made to reach the goal of an HIV-free generation under the theme “Stay Safe, Let’s End AIDS by 2030.”

On November 30, PEPFAR hosted an online event to review progress on its multi-stakeholder joint strategy to achieve HIV epidemic control in the Western Region and to highlight lessons learned and best practices. 

PEPFAR representatives, government of Ghana officials at the national and regional levels, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders attended the event. 

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Strengthening the Care Continuum Project, along with the Ghana AIDS Commission and Ghana Health Service launched the joint strategy in 2019 in the Western Region to significantly decrease HIV transmission and provide lifesaving drugs for those who are HIV-positive. 

Through a range of interventions across the HIV/AIDS continuum of services, from outreach and case finding to treatment retention and viral load suppression, the partnership has yielded impressive results and is on track to achieve epidemic control in the Western Region by October 2021.

On December 1, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Stephanie S. Sullivan delivered remarks during the virtual World AIDS Day 2020 Forum hosted by the Ghana AIDS Commission. 

During her remarks, Ambassador Sullivan highlighted the proud and longstanding partnership with the government of Ghana to improve the health and well-being of Ghanaians. 

She also noted the continued need to end stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, saying “When people living with HIV feel secure and have uninterrupted access to HIV treatment, we are helping to keep them, as well as ourselves and our communities safe and resilient.” 

Ambassador Sullivan was joined by representatives from UNAIDS, Ghana Health Service, Ghana AIDS Commission, and the National AIDS Control Program.