In 2023, Ghana recorded 17,774 new HIV infections, comprising 6,457 males and 11,317 females, according to the latest national and sub-national HIV estimates and projections.
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Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, revealed these figures during a briefing in Accra.
He noted that among the newly infected, 4,869 were youths aged 15-24, 1,698 were children under 15, and 1,520 were adolescents aged 10-19. Additionally, 16,076 were adults aged 15 and above.
Despite efforts, the data showed a 14.8% decrease in new infections from 2013 to 2023, falling short of the country’s annual target of a 17% reduction over the past decade.
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In 2023, an estimated 334,095 people were living with HIV in Ghana, comprising 115,891 males and 218,204 females.
Of these, 17,550 were children under 14, 16,381 were adolescents aged 10-19, 33,245 were young adults aged 15-24, and 316,545 were adults aged 15 and above.
Dr. Atuahene highlighted a 9% increase in the HIV population from 2013 to 2023, with projections indicating a further 6.8% increase by 2030. Tragically, 12,480 Ghanaians lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses in 2023.
Efforts are underway to achieve the global 95-95-95 targets by 2025, aiming for 95% of people living with HIV to know their status, 95% of those diagnosed to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95% of those receiving ART to achieve viral suppression.
As most HIV-infected individuals are economically active, Dr. Atuahene stressed the urgency of collective action to halt the AIDS epidemic in Ghana.
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