As the world observes World AIDS Day 2024, the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) has issued a special message, reminding Ghanaians that the fight against HIV and AIDS is far from over.
Despite a decline in national prevalence to 1.53%, the rate of new infections remains alarming, with 17,774 new cases reported in 2023 and over 34,000 new cases diagnosed between January and September 2024.
GHANET has appealed to all Ghanaians, particularly the youth, to exercise caution and avoid risky sexual behaviors. The network has also expressed concern over reports of low condom usage and the rise of sex parties and transactional sex.
The network has called on the government to introduce new interventions and strategies in the fight against HIV and AIDS, such as mass rollout of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).
GHANET has also encouraged the private sector, particularly community pharmacies, to support such initiatives and make these commodities widely available.
GHANET has expressed concern over Ghana’s progress towards the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, citing the need for increased testing, treatment, and viral suppression. The network has attributed the slow progress to the absence of a dedicated fund to support HIV and AIDS interventions.
GHANET has called on the government to operationalize the National HIV and AIDS Fund (NHAF) as proposed by the GAC Act, 2016 (Act 938). The network has also expressed gratitude to the Global Fund for its significant investment of over $1.5 billion in Ghana’s HIV and AIDS response since 2002.
Finally, GHANET has also called for support from all sections of Ghanaian society to make the upcoming 23rd International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA 23) a success.
The conference, scheduled to take place in Ghana in December 2025, provides a critical opportunity for stakeholders to come together and accelerate the response to HIV and AIDS in Africa.
Source: Bernard K Dadzie/Greater Accra Region
