Ghana intensifies HIV education as global funding cuts threaten progress

Samuel Yao Atidzah, Executive Director of the Gosanet Foundation, called for intensified public education on HIV at a stakeholder dialogue in Dzemeni, South Dayi District, Ghana. He highlighted that the Volta Region had 18,387 people living with HIV in 2025, with 713 new infections, and a prevalence of 1.41% among adults aged 15‑49. In South Dayi District, 846 adults are living with HIV and 52 new infections have been recorded this year. The foundation’s interventions include community sensitisation, distribution of self‑test kits and condoms, referral for confirmatory testing, and advocacy against stigma.

A UNAIDS report presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro warned that reductions in international funding and cuts to prevention services risk reversing decades of progress. In 2025 an estimated 1.2 million new HIV infections occurred and 570,000 people died from AIDS‑related illnesses. About nine million of the 41 million people living with HIV were not receiving antiretroviral therapy, and nearly half of all children with HIV lacked treatment. While several countries have achieved major reductions in new infections, the report noted rising infections in three regions and 21 countries. UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima stressed that new long‑acting injectable medicines will have limited impact without affordable, equitable access.