The Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, has bemoaned the lax attitude characterizing the fight against HIV and AIDS in Ghana.
This follows a recent spike in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in the country.
He attributed the rise in new infections to increased involvement in what he terms “risky behavior” and the refusal of diagnosed individuals to seek treatment.
Speaking at a candlelight procession held at the Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout to mark the launch of this year’s World AIDS Day celebration, Dr. Atuahene stated that the GAC’s aim moving forward is to make HIV/AIDS more visible.
Worryingly, many of those who are on treatment struggle with adhering to their treatment regimens, leading to increased deaths.
He therefore urged all individuals and organizations involved in the fight to eliminate HIV to be more aggressive in their efforts. Dr. Atuahene also encouraged individuals, particularly those living with the virus and those who are sexually active, to adopt protective behaviors.
He reiterated the ABCs of HIV/AIDS prevention—Abstinence, Being faithful to a single uninfected partner, and proper Condom use—as the surest ways to prevent the virus from spreading.
Dr. Atuahene said, “We need to prevent new infections by behaving well. Those with HIV should not go about spreading it. HIV is still an issue.”
Regarding activities planned for the 2024 HIV Awareness Month of November, he mentioned that the Commission has initiatives organized at the national, regional, and local levels.
A key target is to distribute one million condoms before the end of the year.
Other activities will include free HIV/AIDS screening exercises in communities, covering not only HIV/AIDS but also other sexual health conditions.
Programme Manager at the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), Stephen Ayisi Addo, noted that approximately 12,400 people died from HIV/AIDS in 2023.
To combat this trend, he indicated that the NACP is committed to collaborating on efforts to end the epidemic by 2030.
In pursuit of this, the NACP has tested about 1.3 million people for HIV, with 34,000 new positive cases detected, reflecting a positive detection rate of around 3%.
Of these cases, only about 67% have been linked to treatment, “but many do not want to be on treatment,” he stated.
He reminded these newly detected individuals that “HIV is no more a death sentence. HIV is not something to be shy of.”
Mr Addo urged those who are not on treatment to start, adding, “We have enough commodities for everyone.”
President of the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET), Ernest Amateng Ortsin, expressed concerns about the detention of crucial drugs intended to support the fight against HIV and AIDS by Ghana’s tax authorities at the nation’s ports.
He warned that the country could face dire consequences if donors like the Global Fund decide to withdraw their support.
By SELORM GBORBIDZI, Accra
