NAS Secures US86M For HIV/AIDS and Health Systems Strengthening

The Chairman of the National HIV/AIDS Council, President Ernest Bai Koroma on 4^th June, 2010 acknowledged the support of development partners in scaling up the national response to HIV and AIDS and in particular the support provided to the National HIV and AIDS Secretariat in their effort in coordinating the diverse responses whilst addressing members during the fourth National HIV/AIDS Council meeting at State House, Freetown.

“Council needs to be reminded that our country, over the years, has entered into important commitments with the United Nations and African Union on preventing HIV and mitigating its impact on our population,” President Koroma said. He stated that combating HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other diseases constitute one part of the eight millennium development that was agreed by World Leaders 2000 at the United Nations Millennium Summit.

“Council is meeting to take stock of the progress our country has made towards honouring those commitments. The National AIDS Secretariat that we mandated to chart the road map and to follow-up on those commitments will be presenting progress, reports on the UNGASS and the Universal Access Commitments. From the briefing notes presented by the management of the Secretariat to my office, our performance as a country is very satisfactory. On behalf of council, I commend the management of the Secretariat for being selfless and proactive in galvanizing and coordinating the diverse efforts of partners in meeting those commitments,” he emphasized.

In his welcome address, the Director, National HIV/AIDS Secretariat, Dr. Brima Kargbo said much has been accomplished since 2001 in which the Government of Sierra Leone has shown commitment towards scaling up the goal of Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support Services by 2010.

“As we move towards Universal Access, People Living with HIV will be able to return to work, young people would have learnt to protect themselves and mothers would have delivered babies free from HIV,” Dr. Kargbo stated. He disclosed to the Council that, with contributions from the Global Fund, UN Agencies, Bilateral and Multilateral partners, the Secretariat has mobilized about US86M for a period of five years.

Power point presentations by Dr. Kargbo showed that the HIV Prevalence rate has remained stable at 1.5% (DHS 2008). He spoke on the progress on UN Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS which include;

• A clear statement recognizing the AIDS pandemic as a global emergency, challenging life and dignity, human rights and economic development.
• Declaration recognizes the need for urgent coordinated and sustained action.
• Road map for achieving the Millennium Development Goal of halting and reversing the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2015.

The overall challenges to the National Response are;

• Translating knowledge into behaviour change.
• Eliminating stigma and discrimination against PLHIVs.
• Promoting gender and human rights.
• Cultural practices that promote HIV/AIDS transmission.
• Reduce over dependency on donor funds which undermines sustainability.
• Synchronized uncoordinated funding sources with different channelling sources.
• Decentralize NAS activities at district and chiefdom levels.

The Deputy Director, National AIDS Secretariat, Mr. Abdul Rahman Sesay gave a power point presentation on the 2010 Progress Report: Universal Access to HIV/AIDS Services in Sierra Leone. The outcome of the review according to Mr. Sesay showed that the African struggle with HIV and AIDS was becoming a losing battle because of:

• Increase in new infections.
• Epicentre of the Epidemic was shifting from sub-Saharan Africa to Eastern Europe and Central Asia among IDUs.
• Globalization of Health for HIV & AIDS 9funding gap).
• Emergency of other health threats (SARS, Bird Flu) etc.).

Universal Access to HIV and AIDS Services?

1)    HIV and AIDS services are accessible by all who require it by 2010 (Universal Access).                                              

2)    Remind the African political leaders on the 2001 UNGASS, 2001 Abuja and 2002 Millennium Summit Commitments.

3)    Development partners to support national authorities to intensify and improve access to HIV prevention, Treatment, Care and Support Services.

Dr. Momodu Sesay, Program Manager, National AIDS Secretariat, dilated on the topic; Global Fund Approval of the Round 9 Proposal on HIV/AIDS and Health System Strengthening.

He said the proposal aims to fill in implementation gaps in the national HIV/AIDS response to achieve universal access to prevention, treatment and impact mitigation of HIV/AIDS and the strengthening of the health system in Sierra Leone.

The main strategy is on scaling up prevention and integrating treatment interventions into a strengthened health and community systems.

At the conclusion of the Fourth National HIV/AIDS Council Meeting, members expressed appreciation in the foresight and good strategies of the Secretariat in its drive to combat HIV/AIDS in the country.

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