By Emmanuel Gamson
Sekondi (W/R, Jan. 10, GNA – The Western Regional Office of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) within last year, distributed about 138,500 male condoms to residents as part of its coordinated activities to stem the spread of HIV in the region.
Mr Dramani Yakubu, the Western Regional Technical Coordinator of the Commission, said 16,500 were distributed during the first quarter, 10,600 during the second, 22,700 in the third, and 88,500 for the fourth quarters of 2024.
He was speaking at a Western Regional stakeholders’ coordination forum, organised by the GAC, to discuss and review progress made within the last year with regards to critical issues on continuity of care, adherence support and other services for persons living with HIV and key population.
The forum, held at Sekondi, was attended by members of the Western Regional Committee of the GAC, representatives from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in the area of HIV and AIDS, and Ghana Health Service, among other stakeholders.
It provided a platform for participants to understand the diverse efforts of partners and learn and share experiences in the implementation of programmes to enhance the regional response against HIV infections.
Mr Yakubu stated that data from Ghana Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service in 2024 showed that young people between age 15 and 19 indulged in premarital sex.
“But unfortunately, only about 11 per cent are using condoms, and even among the adult population, the data shows that a lot of them have multiple sexual partners concurrently who do not use condoms,” he said.
According to him, about 80 per cent of HIV cases recorded were through unprotected sex, hence, the move to distribute and promote the use of condom among those that were sexually active within the Western region.
Mr Yakubu said: “We want to make the condoms available to the people as and when they need it so that so they will not engage in unprotected sex, which can lead to not only HIV infections but other sexually transmitted diseases.”
Aside from the condom distribution, he noted that the Commission engaged in other coordinated activities including, radio and television sensitisation, institutional education, like churches, mosques, and schools among other identifiable areas.
Mr Yakubu said despite their efforts to curb HIV infection rate in the region, inadequate funding to implement all planned coordination activities had been a major challenge.
He mentioned that: “There was also a below par collaboration among all stakeholders, and I believe this may be due to inadequate appreciation of the national HIV response structures.”
Other challenges that hindered their coordination activities were the issues of stigmatisation, and non-implementation of HIV programmes by CSOs over a period.
Mr Yakubu called for strengthened institutional collaboration for adequate funding to implement all strategic interventions to help reduce HIV infections in the region.
GNA