Programme of Work 2008

1. Programme of Work 2008 Ghana AIDS Commission

2. Outline of Presentation • Brief introduction • Key challenges for 2007 • Priority areas underpinning the 2008 POW • Key target groups • Key targets • Priority activities according to thematic area • Resource allocation • Resource distribution across intervention areas • Contributions by DPs • Next steps

3. Brief Introduction Within the framework of Universal Access to prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010 and as informed by the NSF II, the 2008 POW represents a critical milestone. The priorities for 2008 are informed by the challenges and achievements in 2007 POW as articulated by the JPR and from monitoring data.

4. Key challenges in 2007 High level of stigma and discrimination Reduced political commitment Weak PLHIV institutions Low condom use by both adults and youths Low risk perception Inadequate behavior modification/change

5. Key challenges in 2007 • Low HIV testing rates (largely diagnostic) • Low coverage of OVC • Low treatment coverage especially for children • Weak capacity at the decentralize level (high attrition rates) • High records of STI among CSW and MSM • Burnout/over burdening of the limited healthcare providers • Cost of HIV treatment (public=$5/month and private=$40/month) • TB/HIV co-morbidity

6. POW 2008 The POW 2008 is about 114 page document divided into 4 chapters as follows: Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: The 2008 Programme of Work Chapter 3: Implementation and Financial Arrangements for the 2008 POW Chapter 4: Performance Monitoring and the 2008 POW

7. Key Target Groups • PLHIV, their family members and caregivers • Policy, Political, Religious and Traditional Actors • Sex workers and their clients • Youth in and out of school • Orphans Vulnerable Children, Women and girls • Uniformed Services personnel including prison inmates

8. Priority Activities for Policy, Advocacy and Enabling Environment • Enhanced commitment of leadership • Greater engagement of Parliamentarians, Regional Ministers, DCEs, Political Heads • Support the development and dissemination of Parliamentary Communication Tool kit and organize activities targeting Parliamentarians • Support to private sector leadership for greater work place interventions • Support to PLHIV leadership and Civil Society leadership

9. Priority Activities for Policy, Advocacy and Enabling Environment Better targeting of institutions for advocacy Support Ghana Police Service and Judiciary to enhance high level advocacy in support of PLHIV and other vulnerable groups Further reduction in stigma and discrimination Expansion of “Who are you to Judge campaign” and/or other media campaigns with technical support from UNAIDS

10. Priority Activities for Coordination and Management of the Decentralised Response Strengthened decentralised coordination Increased support to RAC, DAC, DRMT to enable them coordinate and mainstream HIV and AIDS to other regional and district developmental programmes Support 27 newly created districts in institutional strengthening Strengthen MLGRDE to enhance decentralized response and help MMDAs develop workplace policies Support Ministry of Chieftancy and Culture to develop and implement HIV mainstreaming plan

11. Priority Activities for Coordination and Management of the Decentralised Response Strengthen PLHIV & CSOs coordination Support NAP+ towards increased institutional capacity in 10 regions and increased visibility Support GHANET to strengthen national and regional offices Strengthen coordination of grant giving mechanism Select and train experts to appraise and review project proposals and assess interim technical and financial reports

12. Priority Activities for Mitigating the Economic, Socio-cultural and Legal Impacts Use Traditional/Religious Leaders as change agents Support Traditional/Religious associations to address negative socio-cultural practices that catalyse the spread of HIV Mitigate Economic Impact on OVC and PLHIV Support conditional cash transfer to OVC and OVC coordinating committees Support activities and programmes of PLHIV associations

13. Priority Activities for Prevention & BCC • Continued support to PLHIV for increased involvement in the national response and to address • Positive prevention • Drug adherence • Self stigmatization • Couple counseling, • partner disclosure • Increased involvement in national response

14. Priority Activities for Prevention & BCC Sharpened focus on prevention activities Among female sex workers, MSM, in and out of school youth, uniformed personnel and prison inmates Increased accessibility and affordability of condoms-both male and female Support WAPCAS to implement targeted activities for sex workers and their clients Support prevention activities for uniformed services Expand MARG activities Support prevention activities for uniformed services – Ghana Police Service, Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Prisons Implement HIV and AIDS prevention activities through NGOs, FBOs and CBOs especially at TAP and ARV sites.

15. Priority Activities for Prevention & BCC Initiate clearing house for BCC/IEC Establish National BCC and IEC task team to improve quality of IEC/BCC interventions Expand BCC / IEC Activities Procure and distribute male and female condoms Print and distribute BCC materials targeting also Islamic schools Establish one national and three regional AIDS Documentation and Information Centre (Upper West, Volta and BrongAhafo) Expand Workplace Programming Provide support to Business Coalition and private sector organisations to implement workplace programmes

16. Priority Activities for Treatment, Care and Support • Continued roll out of treatment, care and support in line with Universal Access Strategy • Increased support for the entire continuum of care including pediatric care • Enhanced community preparedness and mobilization • Expand HIV/TB Efforts • Scale up community DOT program initiated in 2007 to assure prevention, early diagnosis and effective treatment of TB among PLHIV • Strengthened HIV/TB identification and treatment and care

17. Priority Activities for Treatment, Care and Support Building capacities for health and non health staff Train health staff in stigma reduction as part of ARV training at 10 regional hospitals Promote ART adherence through “Models of Hope”, community dialogue etc Design and produce positive living toolkits

18. Priority Activities for Research, Surveillance, M&E Strengthened M&E Increased support to RMEFPs, DMEFPs, RACs, DACs to monitor Focused support to 10 Regional M&E Focal Persons and selected District M&E to progress from paper based reporting to electronic reporting Enhanced dissemination of Best Practices Plan research conference and other research initiatives Plan and hold National HIV&AIDS Conference for 2008 under the theme “Sustaining a Comprehensive National Response to HIV”

19. Priority Activities for Research, Surveillance, M&E Organize meetings of the editorial board for HIV&AIDS research bulletin Publish and disseminate HIV&AIDS research bulletin Conduct relevant surveys Conduct FSW behavior surveillance survey and disseminate results Undertake sentinel surveillance survey for 2008 Support GDHS 2008

20. Priority Activities for Research, Surveillance, M&E Monitor programme activities implemented at all levels by GAC Undertake field investigations of POW activities Strengthen M&E capacity to monitor national response by training RCCs and selected MMDAs to submit electronic reports Organize national conference for M&E focal persons of data management

21. Priority Activities for Resource Mobilization and Funding Arrangement • Initiate Fundraising Event • Organize a national fundraising event around the national fund for HIV/AIDS • Hold resource mobilization committee meetings • Auditing • Organise financial and procurement monitoring including auditing of beneficiaries • Engage compliance consultants and financial assessors to assist all beneficiaries in all 10 regions

22. Priority Activities for Resource Mobilization and Funding Arrangement Capacity Building Carry out a training workshops for MMDAs finance officers as TOT in financial and procurement management Develop capacity for prompt financial reporting at all levels e.g. train finance officers Re-printing of 3,000 financial and procurement manuals for all beneficiaries

23. Coverage of Target Groups

24. Resource Allocation Key targets and funds committed

25. Contributions by Development Partners

30. Breakdown of 2008 POW budget by funding and intervention area

31. Key Performance Monitoring Indicators [1] Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Local Governments. [2]Availability of data on denominator (total budget for the sector), measuring the expenditure.

32. Next steps • Implementation Arrangements