The Ghana AIDS Commission has stated that People Living with HIV (PLHIV) do not die from the virus itself, but from the stigma society attaches to them.
According to the Commission, while HIV remains a significant public health issue in Ghana, the human rights of PLHIV must always be respected.
Mary Naa Asheley Anyomi, Volta/Oti Regional Technical Coordinator of the Commission, made this point while presenting a paper on the State of HIV Epidemic at a joint Ghana AIDS Commission/Youth Employment Agency forum in Ho. She explained that stigma and discrimination discourage testing, treatment, and disclosure, while cultural and religious barriers hinder open discussions on sex education, condom use, and reproductive health.
Her presentation was made to 945 trainee Community Police Assistants (CPAs) at the Ho Police Training School. Mrs. Anyomi urged the CPAs to become HIV advocates in their communities, abstain from unprotected sex while on duty, and remember that “prevention is always better than cure.”
HIV in the Volta Region
Sharing statistics, she revealed that 19,078 people currently live with HIV in the Volta Region—4,999 males, 12,881 females, and 1,198 children under 14 years.
Eight districts—Anloga, Ho, Hohoe, Ketu South, North Tongu, South Tongu, Ketu North, and Ho—account for 75% of all new infections in the region. She noted that 60% of every 100 new infections were among females.
Seven of the 18 districts and municipalities in the region have less than 60% anti-retroviral coverage. Only one district has achieved over 61% coverage, far below the national target of 95%.
Life after HIV
Mrs. Anyomi stressed that HIV can be managed effectively, and treatment reduces the likelihood of transmission by 80%. PLHIV can lead normal, healthy lives if they adhere to treatment.
However, she described as deeply unfair the stigma and discrimination that push some individuals to relocate from their communities. A 2022 study revealed that 48.6% of men in the Volta Region believe children living with HIV should not attend school with others, while 59.8% said they would not buy vegetables from an HIV-positive shopkeeper.
Funding and prevention challenges
Mrs. Anyomi warned that declining donor funding has left major gaps in financing HIV/AIDS programmes, particularly in prevention, stigma reduction, and social impact mitigation. Low condom use among young people—especially adolescent girls and young women—remains a serious concern.
She emphasised the importance of community-based testing to reach remote and marginalised populations, alongside targeted interventions during national and festive events to address the drivers of the epidemic.
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