By Samira Larbie/Rabiatu Atogna
Accra, Aug 1, GNA – Ghana registered 16,574 new HIV infections 2022 as opposed to 16,938 in 2021, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has disclosed.
The figure represents a two per cent reduction in the rate of new infections.
As a result, the total HIV population increased significantly to 354,927, a 2.6 per cent rise over the period compared to 345,599 in 2021.
Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, Director-General of GAC, announced this at a conference to disseminate the 2022 National and Sub-national HIV and AIDS estimates and projections.
He stated that the current HIV prevalence rate fell from 1.67 per cent in 2021 to 1.66 per cent in 2022, with 9,359 AIDS fatalities.
Dr. Atuahene explained that of the total number of HIV-positive people, 115,235 were men and 239,692 were women.
“Out of the number of new infections recorded, 5,647 are males, while 10,927 are females,” he stated.
According to the Director-General, of the 354,927 HIV population, 330,215 were adults 15 and older, 24,712 were children aged 0 to four years, 21,439 were adolescents between 10 to 19, and 40,497 were youths aged 15 to 24.
He said that under the 95-95-95 targets, 71.8 per cent of the HIV population knew their status, 87.4 per cent are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 68.1 per cent were under viral suppression.
Dr. Atuahene pointed out that while the decrease in new infections was good, it was insufficient and that the country must do more to achieve zero new infections by 2030.
He said that the rise in new infections among females was due to their involvement in commercial sex activities and the prenatal care treatments they received.
Dr. Atuahene asked that men help women safeguard themselves by ensuring they have protected sex outside of marriage or have steady companions.
He said the country must do more by tripling its efforts to close the funding deficit to meet targets.
“If not, we will have escalations in epidemics, and lives that need to be saved will not be saved and the spread of HIV will continue,” he added.
Mr. Isaiah Doe Kwao, Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation noted that the HIV estimates were critical for planning and understanding the scope of the HIV and AIDS epidemic.
He pushed for the promotion of awareness in order to influence behaviour and combat stigma and discrimination.
Mr Hector Sucilla Perez, UNAIDS Country Director Ghana, praised the Commission and partners for their hard work in compiling national and sub-national HIV estimates.
He stated that this would serve as the foundation for the establishment of national HIV policies, plans, strategies, and programs that would unite stakeholders behind common goals and strategic objectives.
“The development of a single, agreed-upon set of HIV estimates enhances the coordination, accountability, and coherence of efforts in the HIV response,” Mr Perez added.
Mr Perez urged GAC partners to put more emphasis on strategic initiatives to improve HIV and STI data quality and pledged UNAIDS’ commitment to the process.
GNA