# HIV treatment adherence and public health in Ghana

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/hiv-treatment-adherence-and-availability-in-ghana
> Updated: 2026-08-25T11:22:42.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 3.

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, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Ghana warns that social stigma remains a primary obstacle to achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets and eliminating HIV as a public health threat by 2030. Additionally, health experts have noted a rising prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among youth, with a national prevalence of 7.5 percent and higher rates among females aged 15 to 19.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-25: 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.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ghana-faces-hiv-stigma-and-rising-sti-rates-among-youth

### 2026-08-11: 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.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ghana-health-authorities-address-hiv-treatment-and-arv-availability

### 2026-08-10: 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.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hiv-treatment-adherence-gaps-in-ghana-and-potential-newborn-clearance-breakthrough

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Cite as: HIV treatment adherence and public health in Ghana. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/hiv-treatment-adherence-and-availability-in-ghana