|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Ghana has recorded a significant reduction in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, according to the 2025 National HIV Estimates and Projections released by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC).
The report indicates that new HIV infections dropped from 16,189 in 2024 to 13,951 in 2025, while AIDS-related deaths reduced from 13,429 to 12,051 within the same period, representing nearly a 14% decline.
Speaking at the launch of the estimates in Accra, the Director for Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the GAC, Isaiah Doe Kwao, attributed the progress to sustained investments in HIV testing, treatment and care services.
He said Ghana’s HIV response is yielding positive results, but emphasized that more efforts are needed to achieve the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The 2025 estimates show that about 337,435 people are currently living with HIV in Ghana, including 315,513 adults aged 15 years and above and 21,922 children below 15 years.
The Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr. Kharmacelle Akanbong, stressed that preventing new infections remains a key priority, noting that every new infection increases the number of people requiring lifelong treatment and care.
He projected that with improved prevention programmes, testing and treatment coverage, new HIV infections could reduce further to about 6,430 by 2030, while AIDS-related deaths could decline to approximately 4,893 within the same period.
Dr. Akanbong, however, cautioned that challenges remain, including identifying people who are unaware of their HIV status, expanding testing services and ensuring a steady supply of medicines.
He called for stronger collaboration between government agencies, healthcare providers, development partners and communities to sustain the gains made in Ghana’s HIV response.
Story by Efua Nessa