Sunyani: About 42 new HIV infections are recorded among the adult and children population in the country every day, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) 2024 National and Sub-National HIV estimates and projections have revealed. Presently, the nation has 334,721 persons living with HIV, comprising 105,460 males representing 31.5 per cent and 229,261 females, representing 68.5 per cent.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim Bimbilla, the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional Technical Coordinator of the GAC, highlighted the significance of HIV estimates data for planning and understanding the magnitude of the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the country. In an interview at Sunyani, Mr Bimbilla stated that the nation's new HIV infections stood at 15,290 comprising 4,987 males representing 32.6 per cent and 10,303 females, a representation of 67.4 per cent.
Mr Bimbilla also reported that AIDS-related deaths in the country stand at 12,614, with 5,445 of the deaths recorded among males and 7,159 among females. He noted that 229 deaths are averted every week due to ART services. Providing a regional breakdown, Mr Bimbilla said the North East Region had the lowest HIV population of 1,717, while the highest populations were recorded in Greater Accra (77,821), Ashanti (63,159), and Eastern (44,792). Seven regions, including Ahafo, Upper East, Northern, Upper West, Oti, Savannah, and North East, recorded an HIV population below 10,000.
Mr Bimbilla mentioned that HIV prevalence remained higher in the Bono Region (2.22 per cent), Eastern (2.08 per cent), and Ahafo (1.88 per cent), with the North East Region having the lowest prevalence of 0.43 per cent. Five regions, namely Oti, Upper East, Savannah, Northern, and North East, had their HIV prevalence below 1.0 per cent.
He further indicated that Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Eastern regions had the highest new HIV infections of 3,436 cases, 2,997 cases, and 2,019 cases respectively, with the North East Region recording the lowest new HIV infection of 97 cases. Eleven regions, including Bono, Volta, Bono East, Western North, Ahafo, Upper East, Northern, Upper West, Oti, Savannah, and North East, recorded new HIV infections below 1,000.
On future strategies, Mr Bimbilla said the estimated reduction in HIV prevalence, new infections, and AIDS-related deaths is a positive development attributed to the increased uptake of ART services. He emphasized that the reduction in new infections and AIDS deaths is expected to lead the country toward epidemic control, stressing the need to sustain efforts at eliminating HIV and AIDS through increased awareness, testing, and access to treatment.
