HIV Prevalence Rate Drops By 0.2%

A survey conducted by the National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NACP) shows a decline of 0.2 per cent in HIV prevalence in 2008. The HIV Sentinel Surveillance for 2008 revealed the drop from 1.9 per cent in 2007 to 1.7 per cent last year.

An HIV sentinel survey is a cross-sectional survey targeted at pregnant women attending ante-natal clinics in selected ante-natal clinic (ANC) sites in Ghana based on the premise that the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women is a good proxy indicator of the spread of the infection among the populace.

Announcing this in Accra on Thursday, the Programmes Manager for NACP, Dr. Nii Akwei Addo, stated that the HIV site prevalence for the period ranged from a low of 0.0 per cent in North Tongu in the Volta Region to the high 8.0 per cent in Agomanya in the Eastern Region.

Dr. Addo indicated that the HIV prevalence at regional levels ranged from 1.1 per cent in the Northern Region to 4.2 per cent in the Eastern region.

He said three regions, namely the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern, recorded prevalence rates of 3 per cent and above.

The Upper West region, according to Dr. Addo, recorded the highest decline from 3.3 per cent to 1.6 per cent whiles the Volta, Western and Upper East regions all witnessed a consistent decline in prevalence since 2006.

Dr. Addo said the highest prevalence was recorded within the 25-30 age group.

He said whiles the number AIDS deaths was expected to decline, the number of people living with the HIV was would increase gradually with improved access to anti-retroviral therapy, coupled with resulting new infections.

The Minster of Health, Dr. George Sipa Yankey, cautioned against complacency stressing that the 2008 survey results revealed a similar downward trend in previous years.

“We as a people did not capitalize on the initial decline to strengthen efforts at further reduction only to see an increase in the prevalence subsequently,” he said.

“We have not won the race yet, and will only win if we, at least, keep the current tempo at responding the epidemic or preferably increase effort at reducing new infections in the country,” he added.

He commended the country's development partners and the global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, saying “Ghana could not have achieved this fact without their support.”

Dr. Yankey reiterated government's commitment to continuing the fight against the HIV/AIDS menace with emphasis on prevention as the bed rock of the national response.