INTERNATIONAL FUNDING HARMING HIV/AIDS TREATMENT IN GHANA

The shortage of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in Ghana is a direct result of the country's heavy reliance on the benevolence of international donors in national HIV/AIDS treatment programmes, according to domestic AIDS charities. Consequently, Ghana does not have the required government investment needed to sustain long-term treatment initiatives.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has agreed to provide financial assistance to Ghana, but the funding will not be distributed until 2006. Until then, Ghana is set to suffer a serious shortfall of HIV/AIDS drugs and has been forced to implement severe rationing. Patients are now only receiving a week's supply of drugs as opposed to a three-month allocation.

AIDS workers in the country have called for the government to increase its budgetary allocation to combat the disease. In 2003, the government pledged to provide the Ghana Aids Commission with GHC4.8bn (US$0.5mn), although, only a quarter of that amount was subsequently distributed.

On a more positive note, a new ARV manufacturing plant has recently opened in Accra, which should help to provide a long-term supply of affordable ARVs. However, industry sources stress that more action will be needed to effectively fight the growing prevalence of the disease in the country.