Publications

The National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NACP) adopted the 2016 WHO recommendations (Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection ) to treat all people living with HIV (PLHIV) with antiretroviral therapy (ART), regardless of immune status or clinical stage. Among the recommendations adopted was Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD) to improve HIV service delivery and fast-tracking of the HIV response. Subsequently, a comprehensive DSD operational manual was developed in 2017 and has since guided a phased scale-up of DSD in Ghana. The implementation of the DSD-based acceleration plan led to major gains and progress in the HIV programme for Ghana, however the country fell short of achieving the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 90-90-90 targets, with 63% knowing their HIV status, 95% on ART and 73% virally suppressed at the end of 2020.

Based on those WHO recommendations, the Global Fund approved the Differentiated Service Delivery Strategic Initiative for HIV (DSD SI) for 10 selected countries including Ghana. The initiative, which is anticipated to be a game-changer in Ghana’s HIV response, makes available essential technical assistance for the scale-up of differentiated HIV Testing Services (dHTS), differentiated HIV treatment (dART), and advanced HIV disease (AHD) care package. Under the leadership of NACP in partnership with the West African Program to Combat AIDS and STI (WAPCAS) and Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) the technical assistance will be provided by JHPIEGO, SH:24 and EQUIP HEALTH Ghana under the technical coordination of WHO . Some of the activities to be implemented include the introduction of a virtual platform for HIV Self Testing (HIVST), Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and community DSD approaches including community antiretroviral (ARV) refill. Nicole Delaney, Global Fund Portfolio Manager for Ghana explained it this way: Overall, what we are trying to do is to help position Ghana on the trajectory to maximize its outreach. What we need to do is to differentiate the service delivery in order to find those that are harder to reach and make sure we’re going the final mile and including all in accessing services”,