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5 clusters · 10 sources · 40 days · First seen · Last updated

HIV treatment adherence and public health in Ghana

Overview

In Ghana, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) continues to report a significant gap in HIV treatment adherence. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) is effective for virus suppression, only 57 percent of the estimated 337,435 people living with HIV in the country are currently receiving treatment. GAC Director-General Dr. Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong attributed this low coverage to stigma, discrimination, self-denial, and the use of unproven herbal or spiritual remedies.

To improve discretion and access, the GAC plans to make antiretroviral (ARV) medicines available through designated pharmacies and accredited facilities. The Ministry of Health has maintained that routine procurement ensures a continuous nationwide supply, rejecting claims from the Network of Persons Living with HIV in Ghana (NAP+Ghana) regarding medicine shortages or expired drugs at the port.

While new HIV infections in Ghana declined by nearly 14 percent between 2024 and 2025, recent data from the GAC indicates that the country recorded 13,951 new infections in 2025. Of these, 1,227 cases occurred in children under the age of 15, while 12,724 were adults aged 15 and older. Northern Regional Director Nuhu Musah reported that the country is seeing approximately 38 new infections daily and emphasized the need for intensified prevention, testing, and treatment interventions specifically tailored for children.

Although officials noted that 99 percent of HIV-positive mothers received services under the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme, they stressed that these efforts must be sustained to protect infants. This follows previous warnings from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Ghana regarding social stigma and rising sexually transmitted infections among youth.

Entities

Ghana AIDS Commission · Ghana · Ministry of Health · Jonah Sacha · Nancy Haigwood

Timeline

  1. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Ghana reports 1,227 new HIV infections in children during 2025

    Ghana recorded 13,951 new HIV infections in 2025, including 1,227 cases among children under 15, prompting calls for intensified pediatric prevention and testing.

  2. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Ghana AIDS Commission reports rising HIV infections in Western Region

    The Ghana AIDS Commission reports 23,000 people living with HIV in the Western Region, noting an alarming rise in infections among those aged 15 to 24, who represent 30% of national new infections.

  3. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Ghana faces HIV stigma and rising STI rates among youth

    Ghana faces dual health challenges: social stigma threatens its 2030 HIV elimination goal, while rising STI rates among adolescents, particularly young women, pose a significant public health risk.

  4. [HEALTH] 4 sources
    Ghana health authorities address HIV treatment and ARV availability

    Ghanaian health authorities have reaffirmed the availability of antiretroviral medicines, dismissing reports of shortages while urging patients to maintain strict adherence to treatment to suppress HIV.

  5. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    HIV treatment adherence gaps in Ghana and potential newborn clearance breakthrough

    Ghana faces challenges with HIV treatment adherence due to stigma, while US researchers report a potential breakthrough regimen to permanently clear HIV in newborns using a combination of therapies.

Sources

adomonline.com · chale.news · ghanaiantimes.com.gh · ghanamma.com · ghananewspage.com · myjoyonline.com · news-medical.net · newsdayonline.co.ls · pulse.com.gh · rainbowradioonline.com

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history