GHANET applauds Mahama’s commitment to filling HIV funding gaps amid USAID freeze

The Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) has expressed approval of President John Dramani Mahama’s plan to tackle the funding deficit resulting from the recent freeze in USAID support.

In response to the President’s 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), GHANET welcomed his decision to fill the financial gap, describing his pledge as both comforting and healing.

The organisation pointed out that this marked the third instance in two weeks where President Mahama reiterated his resolve to lessen the effects of the USAID 90-day stop-work order, a measure that has stirred anxiety among persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in Ghana.

GHANET voiced concern over a possible shortage of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, particularly if the government ends up solely managing procurement.

Their worries intensified after recent reports that even donated ARVs had been left at the ports for months without proper handling.

To address these challenges, GHANET recommended that the government activate the National HIV and AIDS Fund (NHAF), a fund that was launched in 2016 during Mahama’s earlier administration but lost momentum following a change in government.

The organisation stressed that the lack of this fund has weakened HIV awareness efforts, resulting in a generation with limited understanding of the disease a situation reflected in the 17,700 new HIV infections and 12,500 AIDS-related deaths recorded in 2023.

Additionally, GHANET proposed that Ghana leverage its capacity, established in 2005, to manufacture ARV medications locally.

This initiative could not only satisfy domestic demand but also support neighbouring West African countries with high numbers of PLHIV.

The network urged the Ministers for Finance and Health to ensure that the President’s commitment is integrated into the 2025 budget and to adhere to the Abuja Declaration’s guideline that African nations allocate a minimum of 15 percent of their national budgets to health.