The Ghana AIDS Commission is actively seeking additional funding to enhance its endeavors in conducting amplified campaigns, advocacy efforts, and public education initiatives aimed at diminishing the incidence of new HIV infections across the nation.
Director-General of the Commission, Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, emphasized the organization’s duty to launch precisely targeted communication strategies, particularly at the grassroots level, to impart comprehensive awareness.
He conveyed the Commission’s intention to propagate its campaigns through diverse channels, placing an emphasis on traditional media platforms. However, he acknowledged that the associated costs have escalated to an impracticable extent.
Dr. Atuahene revealed that the Commission currently possesses outstanding debts to multiple media outlets for their participation in running advertising campaigns. This situation has led to a scenario where the Commission faces challenges in settling these financial commitments.
“We engage in advertising across different platforms, including Multimedia, Media General, Omni Media, and others. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a position where we cannot honor our financial commitments, and we owe them substantial amounts of money,” Mr. Atuahene revealed.
He underscored the imperative need for increased resources to proficiently execute their campaigns and communication strategies.
While recognizing the Commission’s adeptness in generating ideas, he emphasized that funding is pivotal to actualize these endeavors. He clarified that the purpose behind raising these concerns was to elucidate the obstacles they confront, rather than solely seeking financial assistance.
“We are not merely seeking money, but rather, we are identifying the obstacles we encounter as a Commission. We share this information in the hope that individuals with a positive outlook will extend a helping hand. Those who overlook these issues or deny their seriousness will eventually realize the truth,” he explained.
Dr. Atuahene underscored that Ghana possesses the necessary tools to combat HIV/AIDS effectively, but it’s imperative to secure the resources required to implement the mechanisms that will support these efforts.