By Muniratu Akweley Issah, GNA
Accra, May 8, GNA – Content creators and social media influencers have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hope for Future Generations to support efforts aimed at reducing the spread of HIV infections among young girls and women.
The agreement forms part of the implementation of the Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) project, which seeks to develop hashtags and youth-friendly HIV prevention content for dissemination across various social media platforms targeting young people.
The Ghana AIDS Commission’s 2024 National and Sub-National HIV Report said an estimated 334,721 people are living with HIV in Ghana.
The youth, aged between 15 and 24 years, account for 11.1 per cent of the total number of people living with HIV.
The report further estimates that out of the 15,290 new HIV infections recorded in 2024, approximately 4,732 were among young people aged 15 to 24 years, representing 31 per cent of the total new infections.
These figures have heightened the need for stakeholders to increasingly leverage digital platforms to drive behavioural change among young people and expand awareness and prevention campaigns.
Ms Rita Lodonu, the Project Coordinator, said adolescent girls and young women remained disproportionately affected by HIV, hence the need for a broader digital strategy to reach more young people.
“We operate across four main platforms, namely the community, education, health facility and digital platforms,” she said.
“Through the digital space, we want to reach a large number of young people, hence the decision to engage influencers to create and share impactful content that promotes HIV prevention.”
“Many young people, especially adolescent girls and young women, now have increased knowledge about HIV, including testing. Some even have access to self-test kits and know where to seek care if results turn reactive.”
Ms Lodonu said early indicators suggested that new infections were no longer increasing at previous rates in the targeted areas, attributing the progress to sustained education, access to preventive tools and empowerment initiatives.
The project is currently being implemented in seven districts across three regions; Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern.
In Greater Accra, the project covers Tema, Korle Klottey, Accra Metropolitan and Ayawaso East.
In the Eastern Region, it is being implemented in Lower Manya Krobo and Upper Manya Krobo, while the Ashanti Region covers the Greater Kumasi area.
The selected districts were identified based on data showing relatively higher HIV prevalence rates among adolescent girls and young women in those areas.
Mr Paul Ouadja, a health content creator and HIV advocate, who is among the newly engaged influencers, described the initiative as timely and impactful.
“I think it’s a project in the right direction, especially when it has to do with HIV, which I’m very passionate about. Educating young girls empowers them to take charge of their health and make informed decisions,” he said.
Mr Ouadja stressed that young women remained among the groups most affected by the HIV epidemic, making targeted education and awareness campaigns essential.
He called for stronger support from government, non-governmental organisations and policymakers to sustain and expand such interventions.
“This is a wake-up call for all of us. We need the government, NGOs and other stakeholders to come on board to support the cause,” he added.
“With collective effort, we can reduce new infections and ensure that those living with HIV adhere to treatment and live free from stigma and discrimination.”
The AGYW project is expected to run until the end of the year, with stakeholders optimistic that the involvement of digital influencers will significantly amplify HIV prevention messages and contribute to reducing new infections nationwide.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Report By : Muniratu Akweley Issah