The latest report from the Ghana AIDS Commission reveals that a total of 12,480 Ghanaians lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses in 2023.
This figure highlights the ongoing challenges faced in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country.
The report also revealed that 17,774 individuals in Ghana contracted HIV in the same year, with females accounting for a significant majority of new infections.
Of the newly infected individuals, 11,317 were females, while 6,457 were males. This data includes various age groups, with 4,869 youths aged 15 to 24, 1,698 children under 15, 1,520 adolescents aged 10 to 19, and 16,076 adults over 15.
Despite efforts to reduce new HIV infections, Ghana has not met its annual target of a 17 percent reduction. To address this, the Ghana AIDS Commission has set a new target of a 41 percent reduction in new HIV infections between 2023 and 2030.
As of 2023, an estimated 334,095 people in Ghana were living with HIV, with females outnumbering males. This includes 17,550 children under 14, 16,381 adolescents aged 10 to 19, 33,245 young adults aged 15 to 24, and 316,545 adults aged 15 and above.
The report emphasized the importance of increasing efforts to combat AIDS, especially among the economically active population aged 15 to 49.
It also highlighted the need for Ghana to remain committed to achieving the global 95-95-95 targets by 2025, which aim to have 95 percent of people living with HIV aware of their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95 percent of those on ART achieving viral suppression.
The Ghana AIDS Commission called for a collective effort to address the AIDS epidemic and emphasized that it should be a national priority.