Alarming 7,582 people living with HIV in Kumasi as Mayor leads action

The Mayor of Kumasi, Mr Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, has pledged to lead a strong advocacy campaign aimed at reducing the increasing number of HIV infections recorded in the metropolis.

The commitment follows the release of the 2025 HIV estimates by the Ghana AIDS Commission, which indicated that Kumasi has 7,582 people living with HIV, with 267 new infections recorded.

Speaking at the inauguration of a nine-member Metropolitan AIDS Committee tasked with coordinating efforts to combat HIV/AIDS in the city, Mr Agyemang Boadi described the figures as concerning and called for urgent action.

“The figures for Kumasi are worrying. As Mayor, it is my responsibility to speak out against this challenge so that our city is not remembered for HIV/AIDS,” he said.

The Mayor stressed the need for increased public education, particularly among young people, whom he identified as a vulnerable group in efforts to prevent new infections.

He assured the committee of his commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at creating awareness, promoting prevention and reducing the spread of HIV within the metropolis.

Meanwhile, the Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission in the Ashanti Region, Madam Olivia Graham, has urged members of the Metropolitan AIDS Committee to work diligently to reverse the rising trend of HIV infections.

She disclosed that the Ashanti Region recorded 2,852 new HIV infections in 2025, making it the second-highest region in the country after Greater Accra.

Madam Graham described the development as worrying and called for a coordinated approach involving stakeholders to address the challenge.

She urged the committee members to strengthen collaboration, intensify education and implement effective interventions to reduce HIV prevalence in Kumasi and the Ashanti Region.