Agreement inked for ENB to manage AIDS programme

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday 16th November 2011

A MEMORANDUM of agreement has paved the way for East New Britain to manage its HIV/AIDS response programme.
The MoA was signed on Monday between the provincial administration, National AIDS Council (NAC) and Department of Provincial and Local Level Government to decentralise the management of HIV/AIDS to the provincial government.
NAC director Wep Kanawi said the provincial government recognised that HIV/AIDS was not only a medical concern but a development issue.
He said this move would strengthen linkages under the decentralisation of powers and that the province was chosen as it had a few success stories piloting the “Going Rural” initiative by the national government.
Kanawi presented K105,000 to East New Britain to kick-start the work of “Going Rural” with regards to HIV/AIDS response management.
The breakdown of this fund saw K60,000 to the provincial administration and K45,000 to the provincial AIDS committee for capacity building.
Acting secretary for Department of Local Level Government  Russell Ikosi echoed Kanawi’s sentiments in strengthening linkages under the decentralisation of powers.
East New Britain has an established provincial coordinating monitoring committee comprising of national line agencies that play a big role in service delivery and have recently built a healthy relationship with the provincial AIDS Council in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Ikosi commended this concept, saying the MOA played a big role in strengthening the work of service delivery.
Provincial administrator Akuila Tubal acknowledged NAC for choosing the province to pilot the initiative and gave his assurance that the funds would be put to good use.
He said East New Britain province had a willing and receptive society and would take on the changes with its transparent and integral system.