HIV/AIDS test made compulsory

Ghana is set to implement a new HIV/AIDS policy introduced by the World Health Organisation, which makes it mandatory for health officials to offer AIDS test to all persons visiting a health facility.

Under the new policy patients attending all health facilities will be offered testing whether or not they have symptoms of HIV/AIDS and regardless of the reasons for attending the health centre.

Currently in Ghana testing is only done if a person requested it.

The 2006 National HIV Prevalence rate is 2.22 (3.2 per cent), a slight increase in the 2005's prevalence rate of 2.21 (2.7 per cent).

The 2006 sentinel survey saw Eastern region leading with 4.9 per cent followed by Western, Ashanti, Greater Accra, Upper East, Volta and Brong Ahafo with 4.3, 3.7, 3.4, 3.2, 3.0, and 2.8 per cents respectively.

Northern region recorded the lowest of 1.3 per cent whilst Central and Upper West regions recorded 2.5 each respectively.

Agomenya, which recorded a decline in 2005 with 6.0 per cent, reverted to its position as the site with the highest prevalence of 8.4 per cent with Nalerigu recording the lowest with 1.0 per cent.