He says condoms remain a vital, cost-effective tool in the fight against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Dr. Kofi Frimpong Oppong who is also the Medical Director of FamCare Clinic, was speaking at a free medical‑screening event organized by his outfit at the Kumasi City Mall.

Responding to the rising number of HIV‑positive cases in the Ashanti Region, he warned young people against casual, unprotected sex.

He also spoke against sexual promiscuity and illicit drug use.

“I strongly urge the youth to heed this advice, adopt responsible habits, and grow into maturity, eventually settling with one partner,” the medical practitioner admonished.

Scores of residents of Asokwa including shoppers at the Kumasi City Mall, took advantage of the free medical screening opportunity provided by FamCare Consult.

The event, held on the national holiday to honor farmers, provided medical screening for malaria, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), Hepatitis B status, among others.

Patrons received counseling, medical prescriptions and refreshment.

Dr. Kofi Frimpong Oppong explained the free medical screening was to enable people proactively check and know their current health status.

He added that, “It was specifically designed to provide an opportunity for residents in the Asokwa area, particularly shoppers at the City Mall, to assess their health conditions.”

“We appreciate the free checks and the honest talk,” said one young woman. “It makes us feel cared for and gives us the information we need.”

Source: Francis Mensah

Presenting Ghana’s 2024 National HIV Estimates at the 23rd International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA 2025), Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh revealed that the country recorded 15,290 new HIV infections and more than 12,600 AIDS-related deaths in 2024. Of the estimated 334,721 people living with HIV, over 18,000 are children under the age of 15.

Despite this significant disease burden, only 47.5% of adults and 35.8% of children living with HIV are currently on treatment — a shortfall the Minister described as the biggest obstacle to achieving epidemic control.

He highlighted that inequalities, stigma, and discrimination continue to hinder access to essential care, particularly for key populations such as female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and transgender persons.

The Minister also underscored the vulnerability of young people, noting that adolescents and youth aged 10 to 24 account for nearly one-third of all new infections. He expressed particular concern over the disproportionately high rate of infections among adolescent girls and young women.

While acknowledging progress — including a 90% treatment success rate among those on antiretroviral therapy and a 99.3% success rate in preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) — Mintah Akandoh noted that more than 160,000 diagnosed individuals are still not receiving treatment.

“Our 2024 national estimates reveal both impressive progress and serious challenges,” he said.

“Ghana has approximately 334,721 people living with HIV, including over 18,000 children under 15. Adult prevalence stands at 1.49%, with 15,290 new infections and 12,614 AIDS-related deaths recorded last year. Encouragingly, those on treatment have reached 90%, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission stands at 99.3%.”

The Health Minister called for stronger interventions, expanded treatment access, and renewed commitment from all stakeholders to close the treatment gap and safeguard national progress.

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Speaking during a debate competition organized by the Nkwanta South Assembly in collaboration with the Municipal Health Directorate for Nkwanta SHS, Kyabobo Girls SHS, Ntruboman SHS, and Nkwanta Community SHS, the MCE emphasized that youth attitudes toward sex should be a major concern, as unprotected sexual activity remains the primary mode of HIV transmission.

“The statistics from our local hospital facilities indicate an upward trend in HIV cases. This calls for effective collaboration to reduce the surge of infections in the municipality,” he said.

Mr. Awal urged students, as well as married men and women, to educate their peers on the importance of abstinence and faithfulness to partners.

He advised that where abstinence is not possible, individuals should take measures to protect themselves. He also encouraged residents to visit health facilities to know their HIV status.

A nurse from the HIV department at the Nkwanta Theodore Avadra Hospital echoed the call, emphasizing the role of students as ambassadors of change to help campaign against the rising virus among the youth.

“The number of HIV cases is increasing in Nkwanta South, and it is critical that young people either protect themselves or abstain from sexual activity,” the nurse stated.

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Director of Technical Services at the Commission, Dr. Fred Nana Poku, said young people aged 15 to 24 accounted for about 4,700 of the new cases, representing 31% of all recorded infections.

According to him, this marks a sharp increase compared to previous years. He noted that historically, the youth contributed between 25% and 28% of new HIV infections, but the latest figures show a significant jump, making young people the fastest-growing group in the country’s infection statistics.

Dr. Poku described the trend as alarming and urged young people to prioritise protection and responsible sexual behaviour. He emphasised that reversing the rise in infections will require intensified education, testing and preventive efforts across communities.

Providing regional insights, he indicated that the Greater Accra Region continues to record the highest number of HIV cases, while the northern parts of the country registered the lowest.

The Ghana AIDS Commission is calling for renewed national attention and stronger advocacy to curb the growing spread of HIV, especially among young people.

This was the second in a series of such collaborations, the first having taken place in Accra.

In an address before the start of the screening, Mrs Mahama encouraged traditional and religious leaders to leverage their respected positions to promote healthy and responsible behaviour within their communities.

The First Lady noted that Ghana remains committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, a goal she said is achievable if every individual plays their part.

“Parents must engage in open and honest conversations with their children about health and sexuality,” she stressed, urging teachers to guide students with care, wisdom, and accurate information to help eliminate the stigma surrounding HIV.

Currently, over 334,000 Ghanaians are living with HIV, with the Bono Region among the most affected areas. The First Lady described this as a serious concern and called for education, prevention, and early testing to curb new infections.

As President of the Lordina Foundation, Mrs Mahama emphasised that health is the foundation of development. “Without good health, productivity suffers, and building vibrant communities becomes difficult,” she said.

Highlighting the importance of health screening programmes, she added: “I love bringing health services closer to people because when we invest in health, we invest in our collective future.”

Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Budu II, Dormaahene and President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, expressed concern over the rising HIV cases in the Bono Region in recent years, particularly among people aged 25 to 40.

He described the screening programme as a crucial health initiative rather than a political exercise, encouraging all attendees to take advantage of the testing and educational resources provided.

Sister Diana, who has been living with HIV since 1989, shared her experience battling stigma due to limited awareness. She emphasised that with proper care and monitoring, people living with HIV can lead healthy lives.

“My children’s support gave me strength,” she said, “and motivated me to educate others as an ambassador for HIV awareness.”

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According to the Health Directorate, during their half-year report, what is of great concern is the infection among adolescents, which accounts for 14% of the new infections in the region.

Dr. Akosua Agyeiwaa Owusu-Sarpong, the Ahafo Regional Director of Health Services, at a press briefing in Hwediem, encouraged everyone, especially the youth, to take HIV prevention measures seriously to reduce the infection rate in the region.

“Total abstinence from sex, being faithful to your sexual partners, and the careful use of condoms are effective ways to limit the transmission of the viral disease,” says the Regional Director of Health Services.

Additionally, she reiterated that there are many HIV interventions in our facilities, such as the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, early infant diagnosis, and HIV linkage to care with antiretroviral medications.

Dr. Akosua Agyeiwaa Owusu-Sarpong entreated everyone in the Ahafo region to take advantage of these interventions in their health facilities to seek care when positive and to prevent new infections.

Regarding monkeypox, she noted that the region has recorded three suspected cases of the virus in Asunafo South and North, adding that “they and their contact persons are all doing well.”

Monkeypox is a zoonosis caused by the Mpox/Monkeypox virus. Infection in humans can occur when a person encounters the virus from infected animals, infected humans, or contaminated materials.

The incubation period of monkeypox is typically 3 to 13 days, ranging from 2 to 21 days.

Humans can get infected from animals such as some species of non-human primates and rodents through bites or scratches or direct contact with their body fluids.

Human-to-human transmission occurs through close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials such as bedding, said Michael Beridu, Deputy Regional Director of Health Services.

He added that suspected individuals experience acute illness with fever, intense headache, back pain, and severe asthenia, followed by a rash one to three days later.

The Deputy Director indicated that they progressively develop a rash, often beginning on the face (most dense) and then spreading elsewhere on the body, including the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands.

“Practice hand hygiene by washing hands often, properly handling dead animals, and avoiding stigma and discrimination,” Mr. Beridu stressed.

Source: myjoyonline

Speaking on Tuesday night’s episode, she disclosed that she discovered her status only during antenatal care after becoming pregnant. According to her, her husband concealed his condition and later spread rumours that she had been promiscuous and had passed the virus to him. These claims led to her being ostracised by both her own family and her in-laws.

“I was shocked when I was told I had the virus. My husband never said anything. He told people I had been sleeping around and that I infected him. Now, no one comes close to me or my children,” she said through tears.

She explained that her three children, who are not HIV positive, have also suffered rejection. Once-supportive relatives have abandoned them, leaving the family to cope alone since her husband’s death.

“I’m a teacher, but the pain is too much. I became depressed, lost weight, lost my hair, and I couldn’t talk to anyone because of the lies he told. I cried all the time,” she recounted.

The woman added that she struggles to manage the disease due to financial constraints. She said her medication must be taken after a proper meal, but sometimes she goes without food and is forced to skip doses.

“Sometimes I don’t take the drugs because I haven’t eaten. The nurse told me I must take them to stay healthy, but it’s hard. I never imagined I’d be taking medicine for the rest of my life,” she said.

Public health expert Dr Vanessa Apea, who joined the discussion, stressed that HIV should not be viewed as a moral issue. “HIV is not about morality—it’s about health. Society has caged HIV in shame and judgment. But it is a chronic disease, not a communicable one in the way people think, and with proper medication, people can live long and healthy lives,” she said.

She condemned the stigma attached to HIV, noting that it continues to damage the lives of people already carrying the burden of the condition. She called for more education to challenge myths and reduce discrimination.

The woman ended her account with a plea for help, appealing for emotional, mental, and financial support for herself and her children, who are still in school. She urged the public to show compassion and to support efforts to fight the stigma surrounding HIV.

Individuals or organisations willing to assist can contact the producer of Let’s Talk via JoyPrime.

Let’s Talk airs every Tuesday at 9 pm on JoyPrime, providing a safe space for open discussions on emotional, physical, and mental health issues.

Source: Lois Ampea-Badu  

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His remarks follow the Ghana AIDS Commission’s 2024 report, which recorded 15,290 new HIV cases. Of these, 4,987 were male, while 11,289 were adults aged 15 and above.

Speaking at the launch of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Voluntary National Report, President Mahama called for a more inclusive and dynamic national response that moves beyond traditional awareness campaigns.

“We are alarmed by the rising HIV rates, especially among young people. This points to failures in communication, lingering stigma, and limited access to sexual health education,” he said.

He stressed the need for active engagement with young people, urging collaboration among schools, health professionals, parents, and the media.

“Prevention is crucial, but empowerment is the key,” Mahama noted.

The President also highlighted another public health challenge — the high prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women.

He revealed that about 50% of pregnant women in Ghana are affected, linking the issue to poor nutrition, inequality, and inadequate health education.

“Addressing this is not a choice but a necessity for the future of our mothers and children,” he added.

Source: AdomOnline

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The Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the commission, Isaiah Doe Kwao, said the figures fell short of the global 95-95-95 targets set by the United Nations programme for HIV and AIDS, UNAIDS, for 95 per cent of people living with HIV to know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed to be on treatment and 95 per cent of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression.

Statistics

Breaking down the statistics, Mr Kwao explained that 15,290 new HIV infections were recorded in 2024 alone, and that although 12,614 AIDS-related deaths were recorded, an estimated 12,358 deaths were prevented due to access to treatment.

He said the data underscored the urgent need to expand access to antiretroviral therapy treatment.

Mr Kwao stated that women and children continued to bear a disproportionate burden, with 68.5 per cent (10,303) of new infections occurring in females and 5.4 per cent (1,243) occurring in children under 15.

He remarked that although Ghana boasts that 99.3 per cent of HIV-positive mothers now receive prevention of mother-to-child transmission, more needed to be done to ensure effective follow-up and treatment to reduce the figures.

He added, however, that the records for males were 4,987, while adults aged 15 and older recorded 11,289 out of the 15,290 new cases.

Stigma, other challenges

The Deputy Chief of Staff, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, said issues such as misinformation, disinformation, stigma, discrimination, individual economic challenges, inadequate lifesaving services and recent funding cuts had contributed to derail progress.

“Regardless, we are determined to ensure sustained domestic financing, including the recent suspension of USAID’s international funding programme; integrate HIV priorities into broader health and development strategies, and adopt innovative, data-driven approaches to enhance service delivery.

No one should be left behind in our HIV response,” she emphasised.

She also cautioned that every HIV-positive person who was not on treatment was one step closer to advanced illness and AIDS-related death, which she said was unacceptable. She stressed that, especially in present times, there should not be such a wide treatment gap.

As Ghana prepares to host the 2025 International Conference on AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Africa (ICASA), the Deputy Chief of Staff called on stakeholders, government institutions, health workers, donors, researchers, community advocates and civil society leaders to reflect deeply on the findings from these estimates and turn them into purposeful action.

Regional statistics

On the regional level, Greater Accra recorded 3,436 new infections, Ashanti Region, 2,997, Eastern Region, 2,019, Central Region, 1,140, Western Region, 1,120, Bono Region recorded 875, while Volta Region recorded 809 new infections.

Bono East recorded 649, Western North recorded 478, Ahafo Region recorded 350, Upper East Region recorded 345, Northern Region recorded 318, Upper West recorded 292, Oti Region recorded 222, Savannah Region recorded 143, while the North East Region recorded 97.

Source: graphic.com.gh

Speaking to Adom News, Mr. Mark Kyeremeh Oppong, the Bono Regional Technical Officer for Monitoring and Evaluation at GHS, described the figure—revealed in the 2023 HIV and AIDS Sentinel Survey by the Ghana AIDS Commission—as alarming.

Mr. Oppong explained that Bono continues to rank among the regions with the highest HIV rates nationwide. He attributed the trend to the region’s high population mobility, driven by major institutions and industries such as universities, Newmont’s mining operations, and a thriving cashew trade, which attract people from all over the country.

“Bono’s high HIV prevalence is partly due to the movement of people in and out of the region because of its industrial activities and educational institutions,” Mr. Oppong said. He urged young people to make responsible choices, emphasizing the importance of abstaining from premarital sex and avoiding multiple sexual partners.

In contrast, Sunyani West Municipality has seen a comparatively lower HIV prevalence. Mr. Amankwah Degraft, the Municipal HIV and AIDS Coordinator, credited the decline to strengthened public sensitization efforts.

Despite the progress, Mr. Degraft raised concerns about the increasing lack of parental oversight, which he believes is contributing to risky behavior among young people. “Parents need to be more involved in guiding their children. We must continue our efforts through education and community engagement to further reduce infection rates in 2024,” he said.

As HIV rates remain a concern in the region, continued public health efforts and community involvement will be critical in addressing the issue.

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According to the Commission, the national HIV prevalence rate stands at approximately 1.7%, with regional disparities. The Eastern Region records the highest rates, while the northern parts of the country report the lowest.

Speaking to Adom News, Dr. Prosper Kharmacelle Akanbong, Assistant Director of the Ghana AIDS Commission, urged revelers participating in this year’s Kwahu Easter festivities to practice safe sex by using condoms to help prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

“There are enough condoms available for free distribution during the celebrations,” Dr. Akanbong stated, encouraging the public to make use of them.

He also highlighted that the rising number of HIV cases is linked to factors such as drug abuse and illegal mining, advising young people to avoid such high-risk behaviors to safeguard their health and future.

Dr. Akanbong stressed that public education, responsible behavior, and access to preventive tools are crucial in curbing the spread of HIV in Ghana.

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A few dozen people get sick, health workers attempt to locate and test everyone with a bad cough and other symptoms.

A concerted effort is made to make sure that patients take their medications for the entire duration of treatment, at least six months, to help stem the creation of drug-resistant infections.

The problem is that Western Kenya has a high burden of HIV infections, which makes the communities more vulnerable to TB infections.

People living with HIV are more than 14 times more likely to fall ill with TB disease than people without HIV.

Other locations — like the communities on the Uganda shores of Lake Victoria, Copperbelt Province in Zambia, Eastern Cape Province in South Africa, or Enugu State in Nigeria — have this vulnerability.

Of the 30 countries that the World Health Organization identified as having a high burden of TB and HIV co-infections, 22 are located in sub-Saharan Africa.

South Africa, India, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Kenya tragically have the most co-infections globally.

HIV is not like TB. While TB treatment takes six long months, this is a curable disease. HIV, on the other hand, cannot be cured.

It can, however, be kept in check through medicine that suppresses the infection. The virus attacks the immune system, allowing other diseases like TB, kept in check by the immune system, to strengthen.

In fact, TB is the leading cause of death for people living with HIV infections.

This is where partnerships with foreign donors can make a difference, with resources for programs that have located people living with HIV and then provided them with proper medicines.

These programs help keep infections in check, preventing HIV from spreading and preventing other infections like TB from becoming more widespread.

Similar programs help locate people with TB and provide them with medicines throughout the six months of treatment.

The trend right now is to disrupt these partnerships and cut foreign aid, unraveling the safety net that addresses HIV and TB.

This places regions like Western Kenya at extreme risk from two contagious diseases that do not respect national borders.

If they are not contained in even one location, we run the risk of the contagion spreading.

There are so many ways that this situation can be improved, in sub-Saharan Africa and throughout the Global South.

We need new medicines for TB, to shorten the treatment time and make it easier for patients to take the drugs.

We need medicines that can cure HIV instead of just keeping the infections in check.

We also need vaccines to prevent both of these infections. The only available TB vaccine, BCG, dates back to 1921.

It protects babies and young children against severe forms of TB, but it offers inadequate protection for adolescents and adults against the most common form of the disease.

There is no vaccine to prevent HIV, although new prevention methods have been identified and need development and distribution.

This is my work as a scientist, helping to develop solutions for infectious diseases that are barely held in check, if at all — even as the systems that address these diseases have just lost significant funding.

There is no disagreement that foreign aid makes a difference; more resources are needed, not less.

An estimated US$22 billion is required annually for TB diagnostic, treatment and prevention services by 2027.

Yet only US$5.7 billion was available in 2023. Governments in both the Global South and Global North need to provide more resources.

Global funding for neglected disease basic research and product development has declined by more than 20% since it peaked in 2018.

As of 2023, high-income countries provided 59% of all funding; those numbers are now expected to drop further this year.

It would be great to see low- and middle-income countries generating more research that tackles diseases like TB and HIV, and we are on the path to doing so, but we are still unfortunately at the beginning stages of this journey.

Today, progress against these diseases stands at the edge of a precipice as governments face impossible decisions on where to channel diminishing resources.

The funding for this work does not turn on like a switch if foreign aid from high-income countries is suddenly discontinued.

We have already lost so much ground during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An estimated 700,000 TB deaths stemmed from the disruptions caused by the pandemic. Less than half of all people infected with drug-resistant TB received treatment in 2023.

And now we risk losing the ground that we have made up since COVID.

It is important that the Global South and Global North continue to work together, finding solutions to these diseases that keep too many parts of society vulnerable.

The world will always be connected.

Solutions to these diseases benefit us all.

This article is written by Dr. Monicah Otieno, PhD, Head of Nonclinical Development, Gates Medical Research Institute

He, therefore, called on the public to take bold steps and undergo HIV tests to know their status.

That, he explained, would help people living with HIV (PLHIV) receive early antiretroviral treatment (ART) to ensure viral suppression and curb the trend.

Dr. Addo was speaking at a durbar at the Ho Jubilee Park last Friday (July 5) after the Health Walk on “Antiretroviral Therapy @20,” by members of the public on the main streets of Ho.

The morning workout was organised by the NACP, in collaboration with the Volta Regional Health Directorate and the Ghana AIDS Commission, under the theme “Celebrating the Success of Antiretroviral Therapy in Ghana.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Addo said 12,000 people died of HIV-related diseases in the country last year. He noted that 150,000 PLHIV in the country are now receiving ART.

Dr. Addo emphasized the need to consolidate the progress of ART in the country over the past two decades.

He called on the citizenry to live sexually responsible lifestyles to support global strategies to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. “We need a healthy nation for progress and to attain the Sustainable Development Goals,” he added.

Local resources

The President of the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network, Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin, highlighted the need for the government to provide domestic resources to support HIV control activities. “We cannot continue to rely on donor funding alone for these programmes,” he maintained.

Mr. Ortsin, who is the acting President of the Ghana Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund, stressed that it was time for the National HIV/AIDS Fund to be made operational.

The President of the Network of Associations of People Living with HIV, Elsie Arye, said HIV was still present in Ghana, infecting more people. She emphasized that Ghana must be protected against new infections and added that people who tested positive for HIV had no right to willingly transmit the virus to others.

The Regional Pharmacist, Kwesi Brenyah, noted that many people in the region still did not know their HIV status, which hindered HIV control and early treatment efforts. He, therefore, added his voice to the call for people to take bold steps to test for HIV and know their status.

with HIV in the Volta Region every day, the Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo, has revealed.

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The 2023 data on new HIV infections reveals that more females are affected than males. The incidence rate among males is twice that of females, which Dr Atuahene attributes to the anatomical differences that make the female genitalia more receptive to the virus.

In an interview with Joy News on Friday, June 21, Dr Atuahene explained that “When a female has sex with a man, penile sex and the man ejaculates, the sperm which might contain HIV particles may remain in her for quite some time, whereas that of the male you hardly can see that. Secondly, the surface area of the vagina is much wider than that of the male and thirdly the mucus membrane of the vagina is much more fragile than of the male”.

He also noted that nearly universal male circumcision in Ghana serves as a protective factor against HIV transmission. “Women must be aware that they are more vulnerable and therefore they should protect themselves,” he emphasised.

“That basic understanding should be common among Ghanaians and all people of the world,” he said.

“The transmission rate from woman to man is just about 2% whereas it is more than 12 % for a man, and that is why women should not gamble with their health and their life by just accepting that, if he will give them more money to have sex without a condom it’s okay for me. It shouldn’t be okay for you, especially when you might have the untreated sexually transmitted disease, that can also heighten the chance of you getting HIV,”he added.

Dr Atuahene also mentioned that there are special programmes for those who engage in sex work.

“Without that, we should be seeing much higher new infections in the country every year, but for that group no matter our financial challenges we give them special attention; sex workers, men who have sex with men, now we are adding those who inject drugs and high-risk men, so there is a special programme design for them, we provide condoms, we test them, we link them to healthcare facilities for them to receive further diagnosis and treatment.”

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According to him, being told later that he’s negative has been an emotional and psychological roller-coaster ride for him and his family.

It was gathered that his ordeal began after visiting a Hospital in March to have a lump in his head removed through surgery.

Doctors took blood samples for testing at the laboratory to understand the underlying causes of the lump.

They also insisted on doing a rapid response HIV Test which gives instant results.

The Test found Mthana was HIV-positive, which led to him getting counselling before he was put on ARV treatment.

The private security guard told Sowetan that the drugs took a toll on his body and that he suffered mental and emotional trauma because of the misdiagnosis.

He said;

“I was struggling to get used to the drugs. The first two weeks were the worst. I was vomiting constantly, had nausea and my body was often abnormally tired.”

However, negative blood Test results from the lab only came back in April after Mthana had been taking the treatment for over a month and learning to live with a non-existing virus in his body.

He said he suspected something was off the day the doctors broke the news to him. Nurses, he said, were unusually too nice to him. He further revealed that they offered him counselling on the spot.

This is according to the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), which has indicated that some facilities are already relying on others for important medications.

This comes after the Global Fund issued a final warning to Ghana demanding immediate clearance of tuberculosis (TB) and malaria medications that arrived in the country last October.

According to the fund, despite assurances from the government, a portion of the shipments remain stuck at the port and can expire.

In April, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) announced it had secured the tax waivers to enable it to clear the drugs after months of delay.

However, demurrages and third-party charges are amounting to seven million cedis which must be paid.

Due to this debt, more than 118 containers are stuck at the port.

Samuel Hackman, from the Global Fund Coordinating Mechanism Secretariat, stated that it not only affects the $45 million worth of commodities but also strains Ghana’s relationship with the Global Fund.

GMA fears that the effect of this development will begin to bite soon.

Speaking on Newsnite, GMA General Secretary, Dr Richard Selormey explained that “Some places are experiencing a shortage.”

“But because there’s a few of them within the system, which the health directorates are beginning to or should I say mop up a few of them in some of the regions where there are a few to send… but within the end of this month, many places are going to begin to experience the shortage of these medications.”

“So it’s going to become a nationwide problem by the end of the month. Of course, we need to get the containers out and we don’t have to wait for a shortage before we even think about that.”

President of the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network, Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin has also highlighted the urgency of this issue.

“It is true that we have run out of stock for TB medications. It is also true that the Global Fund has indicated that it is going to cut ties with us as a country. When it comes to treatment for these two diseases, HIV and TB for example, if you are on medication and you stop, your body develops a resistance. So later on, when you go back to the medication, it doesn’t work. It will mean that you need to be taken unto a second line of medications which are even more expensive.”

“These are medicines that the government of Ghana is not even procuring. They are being given to us for free and yet we simply cannot take them from our port. It is baffling,” he said.

Working like scissors, but at the molecular level, it cuts DNA so “bad” bits can be removed or inactivated.

The hope is to ultimately be able to rid the body entirely of the virus, although much more work is needed to check it would be safe and effective.

Existing HIV medicines can stop the virus but not eliminate it.

The University of Amsterdam team, presenting a synopsis, or abstract, of their early findings at a medical conference this week, stress their work remains merely “proof of concept” and will not become a cure for HIV any time soon.

And Dr James Dixon, stem-cell and gene-therapy technologies associate professor at the University of Nottingham, agrees, saying the full findings still require scrutiny.

“Much more work will be needed to demonstrate results in these cell assays can happen in an entire body for a future therapy,” he said.

“There will be much more development needed before this could have impact on those with HIV.”

‘Extremely challenging’

Other scientists are also trying to use Crispr against HIV.

And Excision BioTherapeutics says after 48 weeks, three volunteers with HIV have no serious side effects.

But Dr Jonathan Stoye, a virus expert at the Francis Crick Institute, in London, said removing HIV from all the cells that might harbour it in the body was “extremely challenging”.

“Off-target effects of the treatment, with possible long-term side effects, remain a concern,” he said.

“It therefore seems likely that many years will elapse before any such Crispr-based therapy becomes routine – even assuming that it can be shown to be effective.”

HIV infects and attacks immune-system cells, using their own machinery to make copies of itself.

Even with effective treatment, some go into a resting, or latent, state – so they still contain the DNA, or genetic material, of HIV, even if not actively producing new virus.

Most people with HIV need life-long antiretroviral therapy. If they stop taking these drugs, the dormant virus can reawaken and cause problems again.

JoyNews understands the medications are fast running out and should completely run out by May if nothing is done about it.

According to the President of the National Association of Persons Living with HIV, Elsie Ayeh consignment of ARVs procured by the Health Ministry cannot be traced, raising suspicion it may have gone missing.

Mrs Ayeh noted that they last obtained a supply of antiretroviral (ARV) medication in October 2023.

Additionally, Mrs. Ayeh mentioned that she had received information indicating that more medicine had been procured through the Ministry of Health and was expected to arrive in Ghana between mid-December and the end of December in 2023, but unfortunately, it did not arrive.

“As I sit here, those ARVs have not arrived. In fact, they cannot be traced. Usually, when they are procured, you know, they are on the high seas; they are at the harbor waiting to be brought out and waiting to be cleared; this is a complete blackout on information”.

This has led to reported rationing of anti-retroviral drugs meant to sustain persons living with HIV.

Mrs. Ayeh also pointed out delays in releasing malaria commodities, such as malaria medicine, which arrived at the port in May 2023.

She stressed the importance of timely distribution, especially as malaria cases tend to increase during the rainy season.

According to her, among the items awaiting distribution are bed nets for malaria prevention and test kits for early detection of malaria.

“And then injections; sometimes you are given the medications, the tablets, but then when the quantity of the MP is so high, you are given injections; those injections are also stuck at the port, that is, for malaria; the 200 containers stuck at the harbor contain mainly malaria commodities.”

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Ghana Aids Commission, Dr Stephen Kyeremeh Atuahene has debunked claims that a consignment of antiretroviral procured by the Health Ministry cannot be traced.

“I am aware that the government procured ARV to fill the gap at least starting from May and if we do not receive government-procured ARV, that is when we begin to have shortage but presently, I cannot anticipate any shortage as being alleged and then speak to it specifically.

According to the non-governmental organization, the increase in teenage pregnancy and HIV is due to the lack of information and limited access to family planning methods.

Speaking to the media, the global leader of IPPF, Dr Alvaro Bermejo highlighted that while teenage pregnancy had been declining for several years, it has either stalled or increased in recent times.

He stated, “First, they talked about a lack of information, that they are not really aware of how to protect themselves until it’s too late.”

Emphasising the importance of facilitating access to contraceptives for sexually active individuals, Dr Bermejo stressed the need to ensure protection before it becomes too late.

He further highlighted the potential benefits of introducing antiretrovirals, acknowledging that while they may face criticism, they could play a crucial role in reducing cases of teenage pregnancy and HIV.

“I remember reading when the contraceptive pill was invented. There were actually a lot of men saying, why would the health system pay for pills for this women to be promiscuous? No, we shouldn’t make pills available to anybody. 

“That was the 1960s and the fight to have explained to them but it’s in all our interest that they don’t get unwanted pregnancies. I still think we need that now that I keep hearing, why are we going to provide pills to prevent HIV infection, to people who don’t want to use a condom or who don’t want to protect themselves,”  he said. 

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The results of the research on 24,000 people taking it across England, have been described as “reassuring”.

Thousands of people are already taking PrEP through sexual health clinics.

HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust wants easier access to the drug, since many people, including women, do not know it exists.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which led the PrEP Impact Trial with the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said it was the largest ever real-world study of its kind.

Funded by NHS England, it was carried out at 157 sexual health clinics across England between October 2017 and July 2020.

The study found use of PrEP, also known as pre-exposure prophylaxis. reduced the chances of getting HIV by around 86% when used in everyday life – taking into account inconsistent or incorrect use. Clinical trials suggested the medication is 99% effective.

Dr John Saunders, a consultant in sexual health and HIV who worked on the study, said: “This trial has further demonstrated the effectiveness of PrEP in preventing HIV transmission and has, for the first time, shown the protective effect reported by earlier trials, but at scale, and delivered through routine sexual health services in England.”

The Terrence Higgins Trust HIV charity welcomed the study’s publication, but said there was “more to be done” to increase access to, and awareness of, the drug, particularly among some minority groups.

Debbie Laycock, head of policy, said: “We think that there are certain communities and individuals at the moment who could benefit from PrEP but aren’t accessing it.”

“Many women just don’t know PrEP exists,” she added.

She said the charity was calling for PrEP to be made available in pharmacies and online to widen access to it.

Dr Saunders said that although the clinical success of the drug had been proven, this study revealed other important information about how it was used.

“Before, we didn’t know how many people would want it, take it, or how long they would stay on it for,” he said.

“Now we know who is being prescribed it and we can work with clinics to try and get more people to take it.”

He said that “real-world effectiveness” was dependent on many factors, particularly whether the drug was taken correctly.

‘Liberating’

Harry Dodd, who has taken part in several PrEP trials, said taking the drug has been “empowering” for him as he no longer fears catching HIV.

“I haven’t thought about that for the best part of a decade and that’s liberating. I have had long-term partners who have HIV since [taking the drug] and that would not have been on my radar before. I now have the confidence to love freely.”

Mr Dodd, 33, from north London, said he understood there may be “hesitation” to taking the drug as it was “sexually related”, but he believed the use of PrEP could help remove stigma around HIV.

The UKSHA said the effectiveness of the drug would help achieve the government’s aim of zero HIV transmissions by 2030, but that more people needed to take it.

Dr Saunders said that while gay and bisexual men were most likely to use the drug, many people from other groups, such as straight women, would benefit from taking it.

PrEP, which contains existing HIV treatment drugs tenofovir disoproxil and emtricitabine, works by stopping HIV from entering the body and making copies of itself.

It can either be taken as a daily pill or an “event” basis before sexual intercourse.

The decision to make the treatment widely available on the NHS in England in 2020 was partly based on earlier findings from this research, as well as results of earlier clinical trials.

The results of this study, published in the Lancet HIV, have only just been released because of the large sample size and the time taken to peer review it.

John Stewart, National Director for Specialised Commissioning at NHS England and co-Chair of the PrEP Impact Trial Oversight Board, said: “Not only did the trial directly prevent many cases of HIV, help normalise the use of PrEP, remove stigma and pave the way for a routinely commissioned clinically and cost effective PrEP service; but it also made a very real contribution towards our goal of ending new cases of HIV by 2030.

“We are delighted that PrEP has proven to be highly effective in reducing the risk of getting HIV and people can access it for free from sexual health service.”

This is from tests conducted on 678 people between January and June.

Mr Anani said this in a presentation during the 2023 Half-Year Performance Review by the Ada East District Health Directorate.

The district’s target is to test 1,309 people for HIV for the year with a projected 193 positive cases, and it was able to test 678 in the first half.

In 2022 the target was to test 1,345 people out of which 48 positive cases were expected, but it exceeded the target by testing 3,650, which recorded 250 positive cases, he said.

Touching on the number of people on Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART), Mr Anani said 1,427 were put on treatment in 2022, against the given target of 1,164.

The first half of 2023 saw 1,504 on treatment, compared to the 1,206 expected for the year, he said, explaining that the targets were based on the number of estimated HIV-positive patients residing in the town.

However, the figures for those on current treatment might not give the true picture for Ada East alone, as some of the patients accessed the ART services in facilities there even though they were residing outside the district, Mr Anani said.

He said even though the district was doing well in HIV management, more work needed to be done to achieve the national strategy agenda of 95:95:95.

The agenda means that at least 95 per cent of people living with HIV must know their status, 95 per cent of the people who know their status must be put on treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment must achieve viral suppression.

The viral suppression was very significant in reducing HIV transmission, he said, adding: “Ii you have people on treatment who are doing well, our new infections will significantly reduce”.

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This is according to a study conducted by a group of scientific researchers and shared at the 2022 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI).

It also revealed that a particular high risk was found among those individuals with hepatitis C.

The study strongly recommends Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) vaccination in HBV seronegative people living with HIV even if they are on dual active HIV/HBV antiviral therapy.

Its conclusion is that both Vaccines and hepatitis B virus (HBV) specific antiretrovirals (ART) may offer protection for people living with HIV (PLWH) against acquiring new HBV infection.

This study is very important especially for the African Region because the burden of hepatitis B infection is highest in this part of the world – the WHO Western Pacific Region and the WHO African Region, record that 116 million and 81 million people, respectively, are chronically infected.

The Study
At CROI 2022, the study presented by Mamta Jain from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center on behalf of the five authors examined the incidence of HBV and factors which predicted risk for acquiring infection among Persons Living with HIV (PLWH) in the US.

The study included all PLWH with a minimum of 1 to 9 years of follow-up from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2018.

Patients with no HIV viral load or CD4 counts as well as those with signs of chronic HBV infection were excluded from the study.

Out of 26,152 PLWH, 12,285 were included.

35.2 percent had CD4 below 200 cells/µL, 12.3 percent had HIV viral load less than 50 copies/mL, 42.6percent were HBV immune at study entry.

Within two (2) years of study, 80.6 percent were on an HBV-specific HIV regimen. Overall, 0.49 percent (n= 60; 65 percent non-immune and 52 percent with CD4 less than 200 cell/µL at baseline) developed incident hepatitis B during follow-up.

But in contrast to other studies, the authors did not observe a protective effect of HBV specific medication at baseline for development of new HBV infection in follow-up. The poster however did not provide information which HBV specific medication was used.

Meanwhile, prior studies from the Netherlands demonstrated a persistent risk for new HBV infections in PLWH receiving 3TC as sole HBV active agent but not necessarily in tenofovir-treated patients who were sixteen (16).

Moreover, the US investigators showed that patients with HCV infection were at increased risk for acquiring HBV infection underlining the need for HBV vaccination in this population subgroup.

The study was authored by Mamta K. Jain, Karen J. Vigil, Onkar Kshirsagar, Laura A. Hansen, Barbara S. Taylor, and Mae Thamer.

The Hepatitis B Virus
Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease.

It is therefore regarded as a major global health problem because it can cause chronic infection and puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 296 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B infection as at 2019, with 1.5 million new infections each year.

In 2019, hepatitis B resulted in an estimated 820,000 deaths.

About one percent of persons living with HBV infection, which estimates at 2.7 million people, are also infected with HIV. The global prevalence of HBV infection in HIV-infected persons is 7.4 percent.

But Hepatitis B can be prevented by vaccines that are safe, available and effective.

Since 2015, WHO has recommended treatment for everyone diagnosed with HIV infection, regardless of the stage of disease.

Tenofovir, which is included in the treatment combinations recommended as first-line therapy for HIV infection, is also active against HBV.

In conclusion, the study underlining the importance of recommending HBV vaccination in HBV seronegative PLWH even if they are on dual active HIV/HBV antiviral therapy is very critical.

“This is not good because most of these children got it from their mothers. They were mainly mother-to-child transmissions and that is something we have to avoid,” the Programmes Manager of the National STIs and AIDS Control Programme (NACP), Dr Stephen Ayisi Addo, has said.

He has, therefore, advised pregnant mothers to get tested for HIV during antenatal clinics (ANC) for those who will test positive to be quickly put on treatment to prevent the transmission of the disease to their babies.

Dr Addo, who was speaking with the Daily Graphic in an interview in Accra, said the findings on mother-to-child transmission were further supported by other data NACP had been gathering, known as index testing.

Index testing is when a partner and the children are tested for HIV after a mother has tested positive for the disease.

“In fact, of the 14 per cent of mothers whom we have tested and are positive, we are finding their children to be positive, which means that they were left unnoticed.

“We dug further and realised that some of those mothers did not go to ANC and so they did not receive the treatment to prevent transmission to their children,” the programmes manager added.

General situation

The estimated population of adolescents (10-19) living with HIV in the country was 22,754 in 2020, while new infections that occurred in 2021 among the same group was 1,811, with deaths being 718.

For children (14 years and below), a total of 23,495 tested positive for HIV within the first six months in 2021.

Dr Addo said most of the new infections in children were from their mothers, adding that some mature minors (children who behaved like adults in terms of sexual behaviour) were also vulnerable to contracting the virus.

He mentioned some of the factors that predisposed adolescents to HIV as peer influence, early sex, promiscuity, substance use (alcoholism) and ignorance.

On the implications of children contracting HIV, he said “it means that the nation is not going to end the HIV epidemic because of the likelihood of those children growing tired of taking their medication and, therefore, becoming the next generation to create resistance”.

Policy

The manager said the NACP policy indicated that by the time children reached 14 years, they should know their HIV status. However, most parents who had HIV positive children did not usually disclose their children’s status to health personnel.

He said the moment such children entered senior high school, it became difficult for them to take their medication because of stigma, adding that some hid to take them.

“They have to take the medication at a particular time, but it is not always convenient because the schools eat at specific times and so if they have not eaten, they are unable to take it.

“Again, during class hours, it is difficult to go out and take it. They also have difficulty coming for reviews because of issues of exeat because they are unable to disclose the real reason they need the exeats.

“Some of the schools don’t have infirmaries, and even if they have, they do not have trained personnel to attend to the specific needs of such students,” Dr Addo said.

Interventions

He mentioned interventions they were providing for both children and adolescents with HIV to include nutrition services, psychosocial support, introduction of service delivery sites so that once a child tested positive he or she would be quickly put on treatment and screening and testing in orphanages.

Earlier this week, it came to bare that a total of 23,495 people in Ghana tested positive for HIV in the first half of this year (January to June).

This was disclosed by the Programme Manager of the National STIs and HIV/AIDS Control Programme, Dr Stephen Ayisi Addo.

But despite the alarming record, some residents of Kumasi have doubted the reality of the disease.

Speaking to Luv FM‘s Bright Emmanuel Quaicoe, some of the locals in the Ashanti regional capital said they are unfazed by the increasing number of infections.

One of the residents, in his submissions, said the disease is a spiritual disease which cannot affect them.

“It is a spiritual disease. It is not everybody who’ll contract it. Because as for AIDS, we’ve been in this township for long. But even malaria finds it difficult to attack us.

“If you pray and worship God well, you will be immune. Because when a man sleeps with a woman, it makes God happy. God then sees the benefits of his creations,” he said.

Another resident added that, as far as he is concerned, a person cannot be infected if he has intercourse with a woman who wears waist beads.

“I’m actually worried. But as for AIDS, I think that if you sleep with a girl who wears beads, you won’t be infected. So I think we should treat it as a normal disease. Every woman should wear beads to reduce the rate of infections,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene, has urged persons living with the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) not to shy away from treatment.

He said this in an interview on JoyNews‘ The Pulse on Thursday,

Dr Atuahene stressed that HIV patients must accept treatment in order to maintain their viral suppression levels.

He added that, all HIV-related services in the country are free, and that patients are not required to make any payments.

He also noted that “HIV drugs are available in more than 5,000 health facilities starting from teaching facilities, Regional Hospitals, several polyclinics and health centres and can be accessed for free.”

He was given a bone marrow transplant to treat blood cancer leukaemia from a donor who was naturally resistant to the virus.

The 66-year-old, who does not want to be identified, has stopped taking HIV medication.

He said he was “beyond grateful” the virus could no longer be found in his body.

The man is known as the “City of Hope” patient after the hospital where he was treated in Duarte, California.

Many of his friends died from HIV in the era before antiretroviral drugs could give people a near-normal life expectancy.

‘I never thought I would see the day’

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) damages the body’s immune system. This can lead to Aids (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and the body struggling to fight off infection.

In a statement, the man said: “When I was diagnosed with HIV in 1988, like many others, I thought it was a death sentence.

“I never thought I would live to see the day that I no longer have HIV.”

However, he was given the therapy not for his HIV, but because he developed the blood cancer leukaemia at the age of 63.

The man’s medical team decided he needed a bone marrow transplant to replace his cancerous blood cells. By coincidence, the donor was resistant to HIV.

The virus gets into our body’s white blood cells by using a microscopic doorway – a protein called CCR5.

However, some people, including the donor, have CCR5 mutations that bolt the door shut and keep out HIV.

Cure remains ‘Holy Grail’

The City of Hope patient was closely monitored after the transplant, and levels of the HIV became undetectable in his body.

He has now been in remission for more than 17 months.

“We were thrilled to let him know that his HIV is in remission and he no longer needs to take antiretroviral therapy that he had been on for over 30 years,” said Dr Jana Dickter, an infectious diseases doctor at City of Hope.

The first time this happened was in 2011 when Timothy Ray Brown – known as the Berlin Patient – became the first person in the world to be cured of HIV.

There have now been three similar cases in the past three years.

The City of Hope patient is both the oldest patient to be treated in this way and the one who has lived with HIV for the longest time.

However, bone marrow transplants are not going to revolutionise HIV treatment for the 38 million people in the world currently infected.

Dr Dickter told me: “It’s a complex procedure with significant potential side effects. So, it’s not really a suitable option for most people living with HIV.”

However, researchers are looking at ways of targeting the CCR5 doorway using gene therapy as a potential treatment.

The case was reported at the Aids 2022 conference in Montreal, Canada.

Commenting on the findings, Prof Sharon Lewin, president-elect of the International Aids Society, said: “A cure remains the Holy Grail of HIV research.”

She said there had been a “handful of individual cure cases before” and they provided “continued hope for people living with HIV, and inspiration for the scientific community.”

Bisi Alimi, revealed how he had been battling with HIV for the past 18 years.

The HIV and LGBT advocate took to his Instagram page and shared his ‘HIV and Me’ story.

According to him, between 2004-2009, he kept quiet about his HIV status because of shame and stigma.

But now, Bisi said he has realised “HIV doesn’t kill, it is stigma, the shame and the discrimination that does”.

He appealed to the public to get tested and know their status to be able to live long.

Below is Bisi’s post on Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lucifer (@bisialimi)

The patient was being treated for leukaemia when she received a stem cell transplant from someone with natural resistance to the Aids-causing virus.

The woman has now been free of the virus for 14 months.

But experts say the transplant method used, involving umbilical cord blood, is too risky to be suitable for most people with HIV.

The patient’s case was presented at a medical conference in Denver on Tuesday and is the first time that this method is known to have been used as a functional cure for HIV.

The patient received a transplant of umbilical cord blood as part of her cancer treatment and has since not needed to take the antiretroviral therapy required to treat HIV.

The case was part of a larger US study of people living with HIV who had received the same type of blood transplant to treat cancer and serious diseases.

The transplanted cells that were selected have a specific genetic mutation which means they can’t be infected by the HIV virus.

Scientists believe the immune system of recipients can develop resistance to HIV as a result.

All HIV cure stories are genuinely remarkable and a cause for celebration – they prove that it can be done.

But this approach does not bring us closer to a cure for the 37 million people living with HIV, most of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa.

The potential of stem cell transplants was demonstrated in 2007 when Timothy Ray Brown was the first person to be “cured” of HIV. He had a transplant from a donor who was naturally resistant to HIV.

Since then the feat has been repeated only twice with Adam Castillejo and now the New York patient.

All three had cancer and needed a stem cell transplant to save their lives. Curing their HIV was never the primary goal and the therapy is too risky to use on everybody with HIV.

Remember, anti-retroviral therapy gives people with HIV a near-normal life expectancy.

The main hopes of a cure remain focused on vaccines or drugs that can flush the virus out of the body.

The woman’s treatment involved umbilical cord blood, unlike the two previous known cases where patients had received adult stem cells as part of bone marrow transplants.

Umbilical cord blood is more widely available than the adult stem cells previously used and it does not require as close a match between donor and recipient.

Sharon Lewin, president-elect of the International Aids Society, cautioned that the transplant method used in this case wouldn’t be a viable cure for most people living with HIV.

But she added that the case “confirms that a cure for HIV is possible and further strengthens using gene therapy as a viable strategy for an HIV cure.”

The findings around this most recent case study are yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, so wider scientific understanding is still limited.

The over 6,000 difference between the aforementioned total and an active number of cases accounts for people who still doubt their status and have refused to go for the antiretroviral therapy yet little is being heard about the disease in the municipality.

According to data obtained from the Assin Fosu Municipal Health Directorate, 5,464 samples were taken in 2019 where 194 came out as positive cases, representing 3.55 prevalence.

In 2020, 335 cases were recorded out of 7,423 samples representing 4.51 prevalence whilst 221 positive cases were recorded out of 8,341 samples representing 2.65.

Despite details of the data above, some elements in the Assin Fosu municipality, especially the youth, doubt the existence of HIV.

In order for stakeholders of HIV and AIDS to effectively plan HIV prevention programmes, it is expedient to assess the level of individuals’ knowledge on the most common preventive methods and misconceptions of the HIV virus.

This study examines the trends and determinants of comprehensive knowledge of HIV and AIDS among Ghanaians from the Assin Fosu Central market.

St. Francis Xavier Hospital is a major referral health facility in the Assin Fosu Municipality. Conversation with Antiretroviral Therapy Nurse, Elizabeth Ampofowaa Adu, revealed that 205 cases were recorded in 2019, 209 in 2020 and 195 in 2021.

She urged Ghanaians, especially the people of Assin Fosu Municipality to accept the challenge and report to the hospital on time when they get to know their status.

Sulemana Majeed, Regional HIV Coordinator, who disclosed this at a media briefing, said, “Bolgatanga has always been above the national figure, which calls for an increase in sensitisation and education.”

The media engagement was part of a series of activities by the GHS and the Ghana AIDS Commission to solicit the support of journalists to increase public awareness on HIV and help prevent, control and manage the spread of the virus among the public.

Mr Majeed said the Regional figure for HIV infection was 1.9 percent and noted that the disease was gradually becoming more urbanised with lots of population influx with activities, including commercial sex activities at certain areas within the Bolgatanga township.

He emphasized that the HIV hotspot was not static and peculiar to certain areas in the Region but had over the years swung among the districts, adding that Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality used to be a hotspot.

“It moved to Sandema in the Builsa North Municipality for about five years and to the Bolgatanga Municipality. So if you go by the HIV Sentinel Survey (HSS) data, Bolgatanga will be considered as our hotspot,” the HIV Coordinator said.

He said per the HSS sites of HIV prevalence, the Bolgatanga Municipality recorded increases from 2.8 percent in 2018 to 3.6 percent in 2019, and indicated that though there was a decrease to 2.6 percent in 2020, the prevalence rate was still high in the Bolgatanga Municipality.

He said Navrongo recorded a constant figure of 1.6 percent in 2017 and 2018 respectively, with increases to 2.0 percent in 2019, and 2.2 percent in 2020, while the Builsa North Municipality saw a consistent increase from 1.0 percent in 2017 to 1.1 percent in 2018 and from 1.2 percent in 2019 to 1.3 percent in 2020.

The situation, he noted, was not different in the Bawku Municipality as it equally recorded increases from 0.4 percent in 2017, to 0.6 percent in 2018, 1.2 percent in 2019, and 1.3 percent in 2020.

On the number of positive HIV cases per population, Mr Majeed said the first five hotspot Districts were Nabdam, Bolgatanga East, Builsa North, Bongo, and Bolgatanga Municipality.

Nabdam District, he said recorded 214 HIV cases per population, “So per every 100,000 population in Nabdam, 214 of them would be HIV positive, Bolgatanga East is 175, Builsa North is 152, Bongo 149 and Bolgatanga Municipality is 112 per 100,000 population.”

Dr Josephat Nyuzaghl, Deputy Regional Director of the GHS in charge of Public Health, called on journalists, especially broadcast journalists at various radio stations across the Region, to support the Health Directorate to educate and increase awareness of HIV among members of the public to curtail the spread.

“I lived my entire 20s in fear,” he says.

Now, Mr Thorn, based in the UK, hardly thinks about the virus – apart from taking a pill a day and visiting his doctor twice a year.

People with HIV who receive treatment can enjoy entirely normal life spans – and outdated and incorrect views that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be caught from sharing a plate have mostly disappeared – but damaging misinformation still circulates.

‘There is a cure’

Doreen Moraa Moracha, from Kenya, was born with HIV but only found out about her diagnosis at the age of 13, in 2005.

A television advertisement then led her to a man in Tanzania, claiming to be a healer, who said he could cure Ms Moraa Moracha and her mother of HIV.

“We drank the herbal medication that he was selling and we came back believing that we were HIV negative,” she said.

She stopped taking her anti-retroviral drugs, which prevent the virus replicating – until she caught shingles and pneumonia because of her weakened immune system.

And her viral load – how much HIV is in the blood – was so high her doctor told her if she caught another infection, it would kill her.

Untreated, HIV can lead to acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (Aids) – a disease where the body cannot fight off even mild infections.

It became clear to her the man was a “scammer”. There is no vaccine or cure for HIV, but belief in a cure is common, International Aids Society president Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman says.

Recent cases of people recovering from the virus have raised hopes.

This month, a woman in Argentina became the second documented person to become HIV-free apparently through her own immune system. But it’s not understood how or why.

‘You will always be infectious’

Joyce Mensah – who is from Ghana but moved to Germany to escape the stigma – says she has lost relationships and even her job because of misconceptions about her condition.

The stigma derives from the fallacy that people with HIV are always at risk of passing it on to their partner or child, she says.

“When a person discloses their HIV status to a family member or a partner… people have this misconception that it is not 100% safe, once you are positive, you are positive,” Ms Mensah says.

In fact, after taking anti-retroviral medication for long enough, people won’t pass the virus on since there is no measurable infection to transmit (though they will still have HIV and require lifelong treatment).

Ms Mensah had four children while on treatment – and none caught the virus.

Worldwide, cases of mother-to-child transmission have halved since 2010, as the treatment has become more widespread.

But in Ghana, Ms Mensah’s daughter was recently sent home from her school in the false belief she too had the virus – and could infect others.

Ian Green, the chief executive of UK charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, who lives with HIV, said: “The biggest single issue for people living with HIV, and certainly my experience as well, is often you view yourself as a vector for disease.

“For many years, I was terrified about transmitting the virus to somebody else.

“To know now that it’s impossible for me to transmit the virus, that’s been hugely liberating.”

‘HIV is over’

While HIV is no longer a death sentence and people with the virus can live normal and healthy lives, some campaigners say perceptions have flipped too far the other way.

“There’s been amazing advances in HIV treatment and prevention tools but this perception that Aids is over, in terms of prevention work – it’s not terribly helpful, and certainly in terms of investing in the search for an HIV cure,” Dr Kamarulzaman says.

UN figures suggest in 2020, about 38 million people worldwide were living with HIV and 700,000 died from Aids-related illnesses, which can be the result of the virus going untreated.

Mr Thorn says younger people see it as an old person’s disease, a sentiment echoed by Mr Green, who says they have a “generally lower awareness”.

“They think that HIV is something in the past,” he adds.

‘I am not the sort of person who gets HIV’

Just as young people see it as an older person’s illness, many see the virus as something affecting gay men only.

Worldwide, just over half of people with HIV are women – and it is the biggest killer of women of reproductive age, according to Christine Stegling, of charity Frontline Aids.

But few women she speaks to are aware of their risk.

“It’s a very important data point to engage with, because women who are in that age group and women who might want to become pregnant have to have difficult conversations about unprotected sex,” Ms Stegling says.

While huge progress has been made, the misinformation still circulating can leave people without jobs, relationships, the right treatment or even a diagnosis in the first place.

According to her, this year, 2021, marks her 29^th anniversary since she contracted the human immunodeficiency virus, which many call HIV.

Detailing her reason for living healthier each day, she said she doesn’t joke with her treatment, adding that, it has been 16 years since she took her medications seriously.

Additionally, she says her recent checkups at the hospital proves the virus is undetectable and that can only happen if you take your treatment seriously, she reiterated.

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For people without HIV, the woman, based in Kenya, advised them to continue protecting themselves to refrain from contracting it.

She wrote:

29 years living with HIV… 16 years of being on effective treatment. I’m still here. I’m still standing. I’m still Undetectable. I’m still showing the world that HIV has changed if you take your treatment seriously.

PS: if you are HIV negative stay that way.

Check out her post below:

“I’m only a traumatised soul wondering about for many years, forcing myself to be happy but only waiting for nature’s call to eternity,” she wrote in a Facebook post sighted by the Ghana Guardian.

She added: “Life is perpetual pain. Death is end of pain.”

In a separate post, she shared a video of herself weeping uncontrollably as she listens to Celine Dion’s ‘A New Day Has Come.’

She captioned the video, “Reality is catching up with me step by step.”

It will be recalled that she publicly tested positive for HIV/AIDS last month (June 2, 2021).

She had come down from Hamburg, Germany to do the test on live camera to prove to Ghanaians and the world that she and her children do not have HIV/AIDS as it had long been speculated.

The news speculating about her children’s status and the stigma she had suffered herself was what pushed her to take the bold step to prove her doubters wrong.

Unfortunately, things did not go as expected as the results from the test proved that she was indeed HIV/AIDS positive.

Her children, however, tested negative for the virus.

The convict, who lives with his daughter at Muthara village in Tigania East, Meru County of Kenya, reportedly dragged her to the farm where he defiled her on several occasions.

The victim fled to a nearby homestead where she was found and taken to Muthara Police Station. Upon her release, the girl declined to accompany her father home.

She told the officers that her father had repeatedly defiled her and her teachers who she told about it, have refused to do anything about it. 

The investigating officer took the man’s clinic card and discovered that he had enrolled to collect anti-retroviral drugs. Both the man and his daughter tested HIV positive.

The convict, who casually admitted to defiling his daughter to ‘ease her sexual urge’, added that he committed the offence since he did not want to die alone and leave the girl to suffer.

In her testimony, the girl narrated how her father would wake her up at night and drag her to the farm where he defiled her. Principal Prosecution Counsel Celestine Matere said the offence was serious as it had affected the girl’s future.

While the father later made a u-turn and claimed that the minor and her mother had framed him up since he had married a second wife, Principal Magistrate of Tigania court Paul Wechuli said he was convinced that the 45-year old man had committed incest and knowingly infected the minor with HIV.

Mr Wechuli held that the man had betrayed his daughter’s trust and so deserved to serve the maximum sentence. He was given 14 days to appeal. 

Miss Mensah, who said this after testing positive for HIV on a live TV show, said her threats are addressed to Ghanaians in Germany who have vowed to have her prosecuted over an allegation of deliberately infecting them with the deadly virus.

She said her multiple sex partners may fault her for being loud on her claim that a large number of Ghanaian men in Germany are already infected with the HIV.

She said she is willing to subject herself to an interrogation as there are enough legal provisions that address such allegations.

She also promised to personally report men who slept with her in cars and their offices to the police.

The actress said:

“I have no explanation to offer anyone. I think the more I talk about the issue, the more people get excited to speak ill about me. I want to tell Ghanaians in Germany that I cannot be moved by your threats. There are laws that guide actions of HIV infected persons. So if you are a man who had a sexual affair with me and think I have given you HIV, then go to the police and report me.

“Some of you may rush to the court. I have seen the worse of it. Some had taken me to court for having shared a photo on social media about the man responsible for my kids. I dare you to take this action this time on your claim that I have infected you.

“If you think I have infected you with HIV take me to court, lest I will personally take you to court or report you to the police for it because you don’t have the balls.”

He said with a current national adult prevalence of 1.7 per cent, Ghana had witnessed a decline in HIV prevalence from 3.6 per cent in 2004 to 2.0 per cent in 2019, indicating that although there had been some progress, the disease was still formidable in the country.

Dr. Kuma-Aboagye said this at the launch of World AIDS Day in Accra Tuesday.

The event, slated for December 1 — when it is held annually — is on the global theme: “Global solidarity, shared responsibility”, with an adopted sub-theme: “Stay safe, Let’s end AIDS by 2030”.

GHS data
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye said “an estimated 342,307 of the approximately 38 million people estimated to be living with HIV worldwide are in Ghana, and 153,901 of the 25.4 million had access to treatment as of the end of 2019”.

He said a review of the data so far showed that the GHS’s overall uptake, including HIV services, was below expected targets due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the impact of the pandemic was, however, significantly mitigated by the timely provision of clear guidelines and commodities for service delivery, continuous monitoring and engagement with stakeholders to address challenges during the second quarter of the year.

He, therefore, advised that staying safe from HIV infections meant adopting a comprehensive combination of prevention and promotion strategies, including the use of condoms and accessing testing and treatment services.

He said due to the new public health threats that were likely to emerge after the COVID-19, it had become very important for people living with HIV to adhere to the anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

“The public must take all necessary precautions to remain free from HIV, while we work harder to find a lasting cure for HIV. Till the latter is achieved, let’s maintain the high management record and success through adherence to ART, as we have achieved with the COVID-19,” the director-general said.

Achieving target

The Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Mr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, said this year’s celebration was unique, as it marked the end of the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2016-2020, adding that it was an opportunity for the country to present the achievement of that plan, while developing another strategic plan for the years ahead.

He said ending AIDS by 2030 was feasible only if stakeholders worked in concert with a renewed commitment and the active participation of the public in order to achieve the target.

“All Ghanaians are called upon to help reduce new HIV infections by each one of us taking responsibility for self-protection at all times. We should also support Persons Living with HIV to take their anti-retroviral drugs religiously to attain viral suppression and reduce AIDS-related deaths,” he added.

Slow decline

The Presidential Advisor on HIV and AIDS, Dr. Mokowa Blay Adu-Gyamfi, observed that HIV prevalence among the key population had improved significantly over the past decade, indicating that the figures had decreased from 11.1 per cent among female sex workers in 2011 to 4.6 per cent in 2020.

Yet, she said, the pace of decline among the general population had been quite slow, signaling that there was the need for the country to up its game to address the challenges confronting the national response.

She said this year’s commemoration, therefore, should provide the country with the opportunity to recognise both the successes and the challenges and re-strategise to achieve the targets for 2021-2025.

Mancobeni Makhwayi, who shared her story on the social media platform, is a single mother of three boys and also a rape survivor.

She also affirmed that she believes that God has played a big part in her life. Makhwayi wrote: “I’ve seen the hand of God in my life.”

It meant he no longer needed anti-viral drugs and he remained free of the virus, which can lead to Aids, for the rest of his life.

The International Aids Society said Mr Brown gave the world hope that an HIV cure was possible.

Mr Brown, 54, who was born in the US, was diagnosed with HIV while he lived in Berlin in 1995. Then in 2007 he developed a type of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukaemia.

His treatment involved destroying his bone marrow, which was producing the cancerous cells, and then having a bone marrow transplant.

The transfer came from a donor that had a rare mutation in part of their DNA called the CCR5 gene.

HIV resistance

CCR5 is a set of genetic instructions that build the doorway that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) walks through to infect cells.

Mutations to CCR5 essentially lock the door and give people resistance to HIV.

“I quit taking my medication on the day that I got the transplant, after three months there was no HIV any more in my body,” Mr Brown told the BBC in 2012.

The virus was never detected in his body again. He was in effect “cured”.

“I was excited about it, but I still kind of feared it might come back, but it didn’t,” he added.

But the leukaemia, that led to his HIV cure, returned earlier this year and spread to his brain and spinal cord.

“It is with great sadness that I announce that Timothy passed away… surrounded by myself and friends, after a five-month battle with leukaemia,” his partner Tim Hoeffgen posted on Facebook.

He added: “Tim committed his life’s work to telling his story about his HIV cure and became an ambassador of hope.”

Closer to a cure?

Mr Brown’s cure was too risky and aggressive to be used routinely – it remains principally a cancer treatment. The approach is also too expensive for the 38 million people, many in sub-Saharan Africa, thought to be living with an HIV infection.

However, Mr Brown’s story inspired scientists, patients and the world that a cure could eventually be found.

The International Aids Society (IAS) said it was mourning with “a profoundly heavy heart”.

“We owe Timothy and his doctor, Gero Hutter, a great deal of gratitude for opening the door for scientists to explore the concept that a cure for HIV is possible,” said Prof Adeeba Kamarulzaman, the IAS president said.

The second person cured of HIV was announced earlier this year. Adam Castillejo – known as the London patient – had a similar treatment to Mr Brown and could come off his HIV drugs.

“Although the cases of Timothy and Adam are not a viable large-scale strategy for a cure, they do represent a critical moment in the search for an HIV cure,” said Prof Sharon Lewin, the director of the Doherty Institute in Melbourne, Australia.

“Timothy was a champion and advocate for keeping an HIV cure on the political and scientific agenda.

“It is the hope of the scientific community that one day we can honour his legacy with a safe, cost-effective and widely accessible strategy to achieve HIV remission and cure using gene editing or techniques that boost immune control.”

Not only is there a lot of stigma around those infected with the virus, one also has to pay extra attention to lifestyle, exercise, diet and ensuring that you’re taking the best care of yourself overall.

Albeit difficult, it is possible to live a long and healthy life. Twitter user @Simiso_shane is a living testament to this.

The young man took to Twitter to celebrate his 30th birthday and shared a short inspirational message about living with HIV. Accompanied by a picture of himself, he wrote:

“This year I turn 30 and honestly for me it’s a big deal because at 21 when I got diagnosed with HIV I didn’t think I would live this long or make it to 30 but with ARVs, taking care of myself and loving myself I will be and God-willing I will grow to be an old man.”

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His post racked up thousands of positive reactions from Twitter users and celebrities alike who took the opportunity to wish the young man a happy birthday and long and prosperous life. Some of them also encouraged him to keep going.

A lady has narrated one of such stories to motivate as many people as may have found themselves in a similar situation.

Doreen Moraa Moracha is a young lady who has found herself on the wrong side of the then-dreaded HIV/AIDS virus since she was eight.

Doreen is now 27 and on the 20th year of living with HIV she shared her story with Kenyans online.

Find her post below:

2020 marks exactly 20 years since I was diagnosed with HIV. I was 8 years old when my parents were told I’m HIV positive doctors gave me upto my 12th birthday. This August I’m looking forward to my 28th birthday, God is not done with me yet #SundayThoughts #SundayFunday.

Doreen shared her story with photos of her as a young innocent girl who according to doctors, was not going to see past her 12th birthday.

She said doctors gave her four years to live when she was as young as eight but she braved the storm and has since lived with her condition for 20 years with the virus.

Netizens applauded her for the courage and the positivity she has, not letting any stigmatisation affect her beautiful smile and joyous life.

She also posted this:

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He Jiankui, then an associate professor at Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, said in November 2018 that he had used gene-editing technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 to change the genes of twin girls to protect them from getting infected with the AIDS virus in the future.

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He was suspended from his job and accused of work that was “extremely abominable in nature”. He and his collaborators forged ethical review materials and recruited men with AIDS who were part of a couple to carry out the gene-editing.

His experiments ultimately resulted in two women giving birth to three gene-edited babies, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Available statistics from the Commission proves the level of productivity lost to HIV and its related illnesses amounts to about five days in a month.

“It is not only a health issue but has socio-economic dimensions. Five days in a month is a huge loss to Ghana’s economy. If this trend is allowed to continue we definitely cannot achieve government’s ambition of Ghana-Beyond Aid agenda,” the Commission argued.

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Stakeholders in the health sector attribute the impact on human labour to inappropriate treatment of the syndrome, revealing about 170,000 adults diagnosed to be positive and 50 percent of persons living with HIV are not on anti-retro-viral therapy.

Furthermore, they admonished the public to see HIV/AIDS preventive, treatment and care services as an investment towards a country in which health propels sustainable development.

Reacting to the issues, Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, urged the Ghana Health Service to mainstream HIV-AIDS management services in its decentralised structures.

“Regional and district directors of health services have signed performance contracts with well-defined key performance indicators to enhance management efficiency and accountability and monitoring of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes,” he said.

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Meanwhile, stakeholders and communities are being employed to get involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS as the country thrives to meet the 90-90-90 ambition, a treatment target to help end AIDS pandemic by 2030.

The 90-90-90 ambition targets 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status while another 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy and finally 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

Ghana AIDS Commission has revealed that Christians constitute 80 percent of Persons Living HIV (PLHIV) in Ghana.

Officials attribute the trend to what they describe as less active social mobilization and community participation in the campaign on risk behaviors.

Technical Coordinator for Ghana AIDS Commission, Olivia Graham, made the revelation at this year’s World Aids Day event at Kwadaso in Kumasi.

She said the Commission was strengthening partnership with churches for increased awareness, voluntary testing and antiretroviral use.

“I would like to make a special appeal to the church because they are in the unique position to help achieve the 90-90-90 target,” she said.

She continued: “Indeed, Christians are the majority population in the country and statistics show that 80 percent of persons living with HIV in Ghana go to church, therefore, the AIDS Commission seeks to strengthen its partnership with the church and encourage the church to use its pulpit to mobilize its members to test for HIV and support those who test positive to access and attend to antiretroviral treatments.”

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The World Aids Day event in Ashanti Region was held under the theme, “Communities make a Difference; Help End AIDS.”

The region has the highest prevalence rate in Ghana, despite a drop in figures.

The Ghana AIDS Commission and its technical agencies say they are ensuring a standard model of care is used across all health facilities.

It has also set the Commission’s targets to expand preventive, treatment and other care services are accessible at a faster pace in the bid not to leave anyone behind.

Coordinator for Ghana Health Service for HIV/AIDS, Dr Agyarko Poku, noted that the church plays a critical role in transforming the behaviors of persons in the society, adding, therefore that pastors and men of God must be engaged.

“We hope that as many that we identify we are able to put them on the ART.”

They fell from 6,271 in 2015 to 4,484 in 2018 — a decrease of 28% and the lowest level since 2000, according to data released by Public Health England (PHE) on Tuesday.

The decline comes after a nationwide campaign for HIV prevention, which included more HIV testing, condom provision and the use of HIV prevention treatments like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral treatment (ART).

PrEP involves the use of daily pills — usually antiretroviral drugs — to reduce the risk of contracting HIV through sex.

The treatment is up to 90% effective, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.ART is just as promising — a 2019 study of almost 1,000 gay male couples with one HIV-positive partner who took the treatment found no new cases of transmission to the HIV-negative partner during sex without a condom.

The UK, which was one of the first countries to reach the UN’s targets for HIV diagnosis and treatment last year, offers free testing at various clinics and hospitals, as well as accessible self-testing kits.

Public Health Minister Jo Churchill said she was “delighted” by the new numbers.

“This decline in diagnoses is a result of our unwavering commitment to prevention which has led to more people getting tested, and has allowed people with HIV to benefit from effective treatment, stopping the virus from spreading further,” she said in the press release.

“However, I am not complacent and remain dedicated to ensuring we reach our target of zero new HIV transmissions by 2030.”

However despite these successes, almost half of people diagnosed with HIV in the UK in 2018 were at a late stage of infection — making them 10 times more likely to die within a year compared to patients diagnosed early.

For years, there has been no known cure for HIV, the life-long viral infection that attacks the body’s immune system and can have significant health consequences.

But research and case studies are beginning to show promising signs — a patient in London is believed to be cleared of the infection, according to a study published this March.

About 37 million people are living with HIV and AIDs worldwide, according to UNAIDS, with almost a million AIDS-related deaths each year.Some other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) aren’t seeing the same advances.

Last year saw a 5% increase in STI diagnoses compared to 2017, led by gonorrhea at 26% due to the rise of a extensively drug-resistant strain.

Source: CNN

Out of this percentage, 184,955 people living with the virus know their status, while 113,000 of the people living with HIV who know their status are on ART treatment.

Acting Director General, GAC, Mr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, briefing journalists on the 2018 National HIV estimates and projections in Accra, said this is the first time the commission has calculated data on the country’s 90-90-90 targets.

“We are happy to announce that 55.3 per cent of Ghanaians have been diagnosed and they know their status and of this proportion, 61 per cent are on anti retroviral treatment and of the 61 per cent on treatment 66.4 per cent is virally suppressed,” he disclosed.

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He said the figure represents the position of the country in its HIV fight adding, “We have got to do more to achieve the 90-90-90 targets.”

Mr. Atuahene admitted the country’s inability to meet the 90-90-90 HIV targets of 90 per cent of population knowing their status, 90 per cent of those who are HIV positive getting ART treatment and 90 per cent of those on ART treatment having viral suppression.

“We accept that by the end of 2020, we may not have reached the targets but we have put in place the necessary interventions and programmes to ensure that we achieve the 90-90-90 targets shortly after 2020,” he added.

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National Prevalence

Presenting the national figures, Mr. Atuahene said close to 20,000 people living in Ghana got infected with HIV in 2018.

He said with regard to majority of the new infections, 16,614, occurred between those aged 15 and 49 years, accounting for 83 per cent of the new infection.

Children below one year to 14 also recorded new infections of 3,317, representing 17 per cent of the total figure.

However, the data shows high incidence of new HIV infection among female youth (4,382) as compared to 1,175 for new infections among male youth.

Mr. Atuahene said 14,181 HIV related deaths were recorded in the year under review.

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Again, HIV deaths among adults were the highest with 11,412, with deaths related to HIV among children being 2,769.

“Estimated National HIV Prevalence between (15-49 years) is 1.69 per cent,” he said.

The total number of people living with HIV for all ages is 334,714. Out of the number of people living with HIV, 350,200 are adults while 29,514 are children.

Source: Daily Guide

This is not a tale told in a movie, it is the sad story of a 44-year-old blind woman, Hajara Laila, (not her real name) who was raped by an unknown man some months ago here in Accra.

Vulnerable and struggling to survive, Hajara Laila laid bare her chilling story to GHOne News’ Alice Aryeetey.

For more than 30 years, 44-year-old Laila has been living with visual impairment.

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Laila went blind between the ages of 10 and 11 after getting an eye infection, what is termed locally as “apolo”, but her mother, who also got blind six days before she (Laila) was born, could not help save her sight.

Although life has not been rosy, her life had meaning, until that fateful day when she was raped by someone she had no idea about.

The unknown man forcefully had sex with her. “I did not go to the hospital afterwards because I did not think I would conceive, but even after realizing I was pregnant, I did not want to abort the innocent baby and I cannot also figure out who he is”, said Laila.

According to her, two months after the rape incident, she noticed some changes in her body and visited the hospital for a check-up; only to be told she was pregnant and had contracted HIV.

Laila is convinced she contracted HIV from her rapist because she had not been diagnosed previously with the condition.

Two weeks ago, she gave birth to a bouncy baby girl, who unfortunately was diagnosed with HIV.

Health experts have indicated HIV can be transmitted from an HIV-positive mother to her child during pregnancy – when the foetus is infected by HIV crossing the placenta, or through an infected mother’s cervical secretions or blood or during breastfeeding.

Although there are interventions to prevent mother to child HIV transmission through several strategies which cover the entire period from pregnancy to infant feeding, Laila did not notice she was pregnant at an early stage and started antenatal at a point when the foetus had already been infected.

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Drowned in tears, she said she used to beg for alms in vehicles and was a member of a physically challenged singing band that sang at vantage points to make a living for herself.

But now, she had to stop and stay home to take care of her baby and herself, amid untoward hardship.

“Life has been really tough for me because I have never known peace nor joy in my entire life. The one who could have supported me is my mother, but she is also blind and incapacitated. Food, clothing and proper shelter have eluded us, even where I live now is not safe,” Laila said sadly.

Approximately six women are likely to be raped every week, according to a six-year statistics from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service released in 2017.

Crime rate across the country, according to the Ghana Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) also increased marginally in the first quarter of 2018.

These staggering figures and the sad story of Laila, makes one wonders what the Department of Social Development under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection have been doing to ensure the safety of women, especially the more vulnerable ones with some forms of disability.

According to the Director of the Social Welfare Department, Gbeawu Daniel Y. Nonah, the best thing to have been done by the raped blind woman was to report to the police for the criminal to be arrested, but since she is not able to identify the rapist, that will be difficult.

“Most at times, when people have challenges, they need to go to the social welfare office to tell them about the problem they are facing, then whatever we are able to do to assist the person we do that.

“At times we do referrals (because) we might not have money so at times we put such needy persons on TV for people to help in difficult situations or send them to the destitute infirmary at Ashanti Bekwai. For her children or child, what we sometimes do as Social Welfare department is to take the children from the parents and keep them temporary until the parents are able to find their feet to be able to cater for them then we give them back to the parents,” said Mr Nonah.

Human Rights Lawyer, Francis Xavier Sosu, is not enthused about the handling of most vulnerable persons in society. As the founder of the Treasure of Life Foundation, with the aim of providing help to the vulnerable in society, he hopes to find some help for Laila, but not without some challenges.

“Why would someone even attempt or go ahead to rape a blind woman? That’s the first question, and it tells you how the moral fibre of our society has broken down completely. These stories are untold stories, if you are there, you may think they never exist but we have very wicked people in our society and that’s how come someone will go ahead to rape a blind woman and in the process leave her with HIV/AIDS, and because she did not have all the counselling and support from the beginning, she goes ahead to deliver a baby who is HIV positive”, he stated.

The human rights lawyer added that every single life counts, hence the state should be interested in every life.

Xavier Sosu, who has in the past helped many vulnerable people get justice in society said he would have ensured the assailant ends up in jail, but unfortunately, the victim cannot identify the rapist.

He is, therefore, courting for support for the blind woman and the child to help get them out of their current condition of hardship.

Laila and her new-born baby now live on antiretroviral drugs daily for survival, while battling financial and economic hardships. She said her life will be much better with a safer and better accommodation as the wooden structure in which she lives with her baby, puts her at risk daily.

She also hopes to join a singing band or form one again with her musical instruments, which are being kept somewhere for her by a Good Samaritan.

With a soothing silky voice, Laila, who receives some guidance from an HIV/AIDS model of hope, anticipates help will find her and her unborn baby soon.

The schools include Agogo D/A Saviour Basic School and Nyamfa Salvation Army Primary

Through this program, pupils in class 4 -JHS meet regularly to discuss issues about HIV/Aids and reproductive health.

Health, Nutrition and HIV/Aids project Officer at World Vision, Jennifer Ayaam told Adom News’ Kwame Kulenu that the idea is to help the children know how the disease is transmitted, how it could be managed when one is infected and how to prevent themselves from contracting the disease to help minimize its transmission.

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“This will also help the pupils to pass the knowledge to others who are ignorant since there are people who still think it does not exist,” he said.

The children said the education has opened their understanding of HIV/Aids

“We realized that the disease is real and we will be careful not to contract it and we will go from one community to others and pass this knowledge to those who are ignorant,” they said.

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Some pupils also said the introduction of the Clubs have boosted their confidence to speak in public because of quiz programs patrons organize for them.

They explained that before the School Health Clubs was introduced, they were not punctual in school but now they always want to be in school because of other entertainment events officers organise for them.

Experts said a stalling of HIV funding in recent years was endangering efforts to control the illness.

As things stand, the world is no longer on course to end the pandemic by 2030 – a target agreed by UN member states, say experts in The Lancet.

They call for urgent changes in how the disease is treated and controlled.

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‘Situation has stagnated’

About 37 million people worldwide live with HIV or Aids. And there are an estimated 1.8 million new cases every year.

New cases of HIV/Aids have been falling in recent years.

But the Lancet Commission said the fall was happening too slowly to reach the UNAids target of 500,000 new infections by 2020.

While HIV rates were falling overall, they remained persistent in marginalised groups, younger people – particularly women – and in developing countries, all of whom were less likely to access treatment, the commission said.

Experts said HIV funding had remained flat in recent years, at about £14.7bn – roughly £5.4bn short of the estimated amount needed to achieve the UNAids targets.

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Dr Linda-Gail Bekker, president of the International Aids Society and professor at University of Cape Town, South Africa, said: “Despite the remarkable progress of the HIV response, the situation has stagnated in the past decade.

“Reinvigorating this work will be demanding – but the future health and wellbeing of millions of people require that we meet this challenge.”

The Lancet Commission also called for more collaboration between health professionals and for HIV treatment to become better incorporated into other areas of healthcare.

This would mean an end to HIV “exceptionalism”, where specific funding and services have been provided for HIV alone, and could include combining HIV screening with screening for other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

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In India, for example, if HIV testing and treatments were combined with those for syphilis among women sex workers and gay men it could reduce the number of new HIV cases at a national-level by 7% between 2018 and 2028, the report estimated.

“Health systems must be designed to meet the needs of the people they serve, including having the capacity to address multiple health problems simultaneously,” Prof Chris Beyrer said.

“No-one can be left behind in our efforts to achieve sustainable health.”