The Ghana AIDS Commission has warned that poor condom use, particularly among adolescent girls and young women, is a major factor driving new HIV infections in the Volta Region.
According to the Commission, the region currently has 19,078 people living with HIV, accounting for 5.7 per cent of Ghana’s total HIV burden. This includes 4,999 adult males, 12,881 adult females, and 1,198 children.
Mary Naa Asheley Anyomi, Volta Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission, disclosed the figures while addressing stakeholders, noting that HIV prevalence in the general population stands at 2.1 per cent.
However, prevalence rates are significantly higher among key populations, with 4.3 per cent among female sex workers and as high as 28.1 per cent among men who have sex with men.
She revealed that the region recently recorded 809 new HIV infections, including 69 children, underscoring ongoing transmission challenges.
Anyomi further highlighted gaps in antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage, which currently ranges between 38 and 61.5 per cent across the region. She also expressed concern over the heavy reliance on donor funding for HIV programmes, warning that sustainability remains a challenge.
She added that stigma and discrimination continue to discourage people from accessing HIV testing, treatment, and disclosing their status.
To address these issues, she called for expanded HIV testing services, increased community-based interventions, and improved access to condoms, especially for young people and vulnerable groups.
Meanwhile, a newly inaugurated nine-member Volta Regional HIV and AIDS Committee has been tasked with strengthening the regional response.
The committee is chaired by the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, and includes representatives from the Ghana Health Service, civil society organisations, the education sector, and traditional authorities.
Gunu pledged stronger collaboration among stakeholders and urged committee members to work diligently toward achieving the national goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat in the region by 2030.
