A concerning trend has been observed among young women in Ghana, where a significant portion are engaging in unprotected sex despite being aware of the potential risks, including HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).
The 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), reveals that 80 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 24 are involved in unprotected sex.
Surprisingly, this behaviour persists even though 79 percent of these young women are well-informed about the health benefits associated with the consistent use of condoms.
The statistics are particularly alarming given the existing data that indicates a higher rate of HIV contraction among women compared to men.
In August 2023, the Ghana AIDS Commission reported that females accounted for two-thirds of the total new HIV infections in the country.
Out of the 16,574 new HIV infections recorded in 2022, 10,927 cases were among females, while males accounted for 5,647 cases.
This information is derived from the 2022 National and Sub-National HIV/AIDS estimates and projections.