Ghana records 13,795 new HIV infections - GAC   

Dr Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, the Director General (D-G) of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) says the country has recorded 13,795 new HIV infections.

He said the Bono Region alone recorded over 1,000 cases of new infections this year, calling on everybody to avoid unhealthy sexual lifestyles and behaviours.

“However, if you have a lot of boyfriends and girlfriends and you think that, look, one of them will give you the risk, there are provisions for that, and you can use medication to protect yourself”, he advised.

Dr Akanbong disclosed the figures in an interview with the media on the sidelines of a two-day workshop on strengthening legal assistance organisations involvement in service provision for HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) at Abesim, near Sunyani.

The GAC, in collaboration with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), with support from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the Global Fund, organised the workshop.

Describing HIV as a public health threat, Dr. Akanbong emphasised that HIV had been transformed into a manageable chronic condition like others.

He explained that the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) were always available for the at-risk population.

Dr Akanbong said that PrEP was a medication a person at risk could take to prevent new infections of HIV.

With PEP, Dr Akanbong explained that PeP “If you get yourself into a compromising situation of sexual act that you have not planned for and you think there is a higher risk of getting it, you can go for medication and protect yourself too”.

He called on the nation to openly embrace PrEP and PEP as well as condom services and also refrain from stigmatizing and discriminating against Persons Living with HIV (PLwH).

Dr Akanbong stressed that doing so remained the surest way to bring the spread of HIV in the country under the barest minimum.

“It could be your son, daughter or yourself so let's not be pointing fingers', stated, and called for concerted efforts towards breaking the barriers of stigmatization and discrimination against HIV.

Dr Akanbong said that the GAC was rolling out an intensive campaign against the spread of HIV and called for support from everybody.

The workshop was part of a nationwide series being held across the southern, middle, and northern zones to address stigma, discrimination, and human rights issues associated with HIV and TB.

Legal practitioners, traditional leaders, law enforcement officers, educators, and civil society actors are attending.

GNA