Strategic Focus

The partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Government of Ghana (GoG) began in 2008, with the goal of strengthening HIV prevention and control. Over the past 10 years, CDC’s global HIV/AIDS focus has transitioned from an emergency response approach to one of sustainability and shared responsibility. The Ghana program has moved from one focusing on mainly on prevention in Key Populations (KP), to include supporting Ghana’s recent adoption of the 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to treat all HIV positive persons.

CDC is the lead for laboratory efforts within the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Ghana team, improving the skills of laboratorians, and efficiency of laboratory services. CDC, together with the GoG, assesses the laboratorian skills in real-world settings, and together address any shortfalls that are recognized. CDC is piloting efforts to improve the sample transport systems. These efforts will help improve the quality of HIV treatment services as patients will be able to be tested for HIV at their local facility, and no longer have to travel long distances to be tested.

CDC also leads PEPFAR Ghana’s strategic information activities, including efforts to improve capability to capture and analyze data across the HIV Cascade, from testing, initiation of treatment, and suppression of viral load and decision-making. CDC assists to develop and conduct research studies on KPs (Female Sex Workers and Men who have Sex with Men). Together these efforts provide PEPFAR Ghana with the tools and data needed to best address and achieve goals.

Key Activities and Accomplishments

• PEPFAR Ghana, including CDC, reached an agreement with the GoG to adopt the 2015 WHO Treat All guidelines to accelerate HIV treatment for all eligible clients

• PEPFAR Ghana successfully negotiated and obtained approval for the disbursement of supplemental funding for antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and essential commodities in support of the GOG’s effort to fully implement treat all in line with the 2015 WHO Treat All guidelines.

• CDC Ghana‘s closely worked with GoG, Ministry of Health (MoH), Ghana Health Service (GHS), and the National AIDS/Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Control Program (NACP) to successfully develop and implement the e-Tracker HIV Module to support the management and tracking of HIV clients to monitor the HIV cascade.

• CDC Ghana has supported the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) to develop and launch the Ghana Key Population Unique Identifier System (GKPUIS) to help with the management and tracking of KPs to enhance efficient service delivery.

• Through our cooperative agreement with GOG/MOH/GHS/NACP, CDC Ghana continues to provide direct technical assistance to the government to strengthen laboratory activities through laboratory policy developments and a sample referral and results transmission system including the finalization of national viral load scale up and operational plan.

• CDC Ghana’s lab efforts have increased HIV rapid test proficiency from 27% to 91% [GHS/NACP Dried Tube Specimen Proficiency Testing Round 5 Report, Feb 2018].

• CDC Ghana has supported GAC to successfully undertake the 2017 Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey on men who have sex with men. Results were first released in May 2018 at the National HIV and AIDS Research Conference, and a report will be available in August 2018.