Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene, has indicated that the youth comprise 11 per cent of the cumulative figure of 355,000 Ghanaians living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Per the data provided by Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene at the Joy Christian Forum held last week, more than 40, 000 youth aged 15 to 24 years are infected with the virus.
The health expert attributed the number of HIV cases recorded to the surge in immoral activities being undertaken by members of the general public.
This, Dr Atuahene said, has made it difficult for the Commission’s aim of “reducing infections by 17% every year.”
He elaborated on the higher HIV infection rates among women, attributing it to their genital anatomy. He pointed out that the vagina’s structure and its delicate lining make women more vulnerable to HIV infection because it serves as a receptor.
Additionally, Dr. Atuahene highlighted that individuals with untreated sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) face an elevated risk of contracting HIV, noting that between 10 and 13 percent of people diagnosed with STIs have HIV.
“If you have chlamydia, chancroid, or any ulcerative infections then you become even more vulnerable. When you sleep with anybody, because you have some ulcers down there, you’re most likely to get infected,” he said.
Dr Atuahene therefore entreated the youth to do away with immoral behaviors that are most likely to endanger their lives.
Despite the challenge faced, the Ghana AIDS Commission managed to see a reduction in infections by 2 per cent last year.
Meanwhile, there is the likelihood of a mass spread of the Human Immune Virus (HIV) in the country, according to the Ghana AIDS Commission, as over 100,000 individuals are oblivious to contracting the virus.
“More than 28% of people living with HIV still do not know their HIV status because they have not tested. That represents about 100,000 people. They are spreading it unknowingly and that is not the best,” Dr Atuahene told the media.
According to him, the looming mass spread can be curtailed should citizens inculcate the habit of testing for HIV/AIDS frequently.
“If you wait till you get AIDS before you go to the hospital, it will take a much longer time for you to recover in terms of boosting your immune system for it to regenerate and support your body, it takes a longer time,” he added.
The Ghana AIDS Commission says it has mounted a search for the individuals who may be spreading the virus without being aware of it.