REPORT ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY ACT AFRICA ON GLOBAL FUND REPRIORITIZATION AND RE-INVESTMENT IN GHANA.

In light of the Global Fund’s ongoing grant implementation and mid term reviews, a reprioritization meeting was organized by Africa Coalition on TB (ACT AFRICA) with TB/ HIV and Malaria community including Key populations networks in Ghana to ensure that the remaining funds and interventions align with current country needs and community priorities.

The meeting which was funded by the Global Fund aimed to discuss and gather input from TB, HIV and Malaria affected communities and Key youth networks to inform the final decision-making process for resource allocation and program adjustments.

Participants

The community engagement brought together over 20 participants, including

• Representatives of TB affected communities
• PLHIV Networks
• Malaria Community representatives
• Civil society organisations
• Youth and gender groups
• Technical partners (National tuberculosis program, Stop TB Ghana Partnership)
Key Presentations and Discussions

Address by Program Manager of the National Tuberculosis Program

The Program Manager of the National TB Program, Dr. Bernard Ziem addressed participants and expressed his appreciation to the Global Fund and Act Africa for making this crucial the organization of this critical community engagement to discuss the reprioritization and re-investment processes by partners.

He said the reprioritization is not merely a technical exercise- but rather a people centred process that seeks to ensure that the remaining resources are directed towards most impactful, relevant and community driven interventions.

He concluded by urging communities to bring to the discussions their insights and lived experiences to help all to see the realities on the ground and design interventions that are responsive, inclusive and effective.

Presentation by Consultant-Mr. Benjamin Cheabu

The meeting was superintended by Mr. Benjamin Cheabu, the lead consultant for the reprioritization and re-investment processes in Ghana. He presented an update on the Global Funds reallocation framework, the available funding and decision points for reprioritization for TB, HIV and Malaria.

Community Feedback Sessions

Participants were thoroughly engaged in discussions on interventions that should be scaled up and activities that can be deprioritized due to overlap or low impact. Discussions also centred on urgent needs which were deprioritised by current funded but needed to be included as non-negotiables.

Consensus and Recommendations

Participants reached a consensus on the following

• Prioritize community-led interventions that promote equity, gender sensitivity and sustainability.
• Protect services for key and vulnerable populations
• Ensure transparency and continuous engagement throughout the decision-making processes
• Develop a community feedback mechanism post-reprioritization.
Conclusion

The reprioritization meeting provided a critical platform for inclusive dialogue among TB, HIV and malaria communities. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that Global Fund investments respond to real needs and improve health outcomes for the most affected populations

Compiled by:

Abudu Imoro
Project Coordinator