HIV prevalence in Ashanti Region: Unprotected sex a major contributor — AIDS Commission

The Ghana AIDS Commission has revealed a startling fact about HIV prevalence in the Ashanti Region.

According to the Commission, 80 percent of HIV patients in the region contracted the virus through unprotected sex.

The Ashanti Regional Technical Coordinator for the Commission, Olivia Graham, made this disclosure in an interview with this reporter on Sunday.

Ms. Graham noted that the high prevalence rate is a cause for concern, and urged residents in the region to adopt safe sex practices to prevent the spread of the virus.

The revelation comes on the heels of a recent report that indicated a high HIV prevalence in the Ashanti Region, particularly in the Asokwa Municipality.

The Ghana AIDS Commission is urging individuals to take proactive measures to prevent the spread of HIV, including the use of condoms and regular testing.

2023 figures
Ten people were estimated to be infected by HIV daily in the Ashanti Region in 2023, according to the Ghana AIDS Commission’s (GAC) 2023 HIV estimates and projections.

The region, which had an HIV population of 66,322, recorded 3,650 new infections, out of which 1,136 were males and 2,161 were females.

Of the 66,322 HIV population, 20,695 were males as against 42,038 females with a prevalence rate of 1.70 per cent.

The Ashanti Regional Technical Coordinator of Ghana AIDS Commission, Madam Olivia Graham, who disclosed these during a Regional GAC Committee meeting, said 353 children between the ages of 0-14 were also infected during the year under review.