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Ghana witnesses 80% increase in new cases of HIV/AIDS in one year

Majority of new carriers in Ghana are pregnant women.

According to the agency, pregnant women dominated the list of new carriers of the virus due to exposure to poor medical procedure and unsafe sexual practices. Also, the Volta and Brong Ahafo regions topped the chart of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the country.

Mrs Amokowa Adu-Gyamfi, the Director-General of AIDS Commission, appealed to people living with the virus to adhere to the use of the anti-retroviral drugs. She also reiterated that there is currently no herbal cure for the disease.

“We are not condemning them (herbalist), we are just saying that there is no herbal cure as yet for HIV. If you want to take them it’s up to you. But then take your anti-retroviral medication,” she said.

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Causes of high prevalence of HIV/AIDS infections in Ghana

Poor attitude of people towards engaging in voluntary test for the virus accounts for widespread of HIV/AIDS among the people, especially the youths. The Ghana AIDS agency also alleged that increase in homosexual activities can also be blamed for the sharp rise in HIV infection.

Behavioural factors such as sex for commercial purpose, no HIV screening, poor awareness of non-sexual route of HIV transmission and no condom use also played major role in the spread of the virus.

How has Africa fair about HIV/AIDS?

Africa has been the worst-hit region by the epidemic since its discovery in the 1980s. The disease is a major public health concern and has caused death of people in many parts of the region.

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Across the globe, 78 million people were estimated to have been infected with the virus and more than two-thirds of them (35 million people) are living in Africa.

In 2016, one million people were estimated to have died from AIDS-related illnesses across the world. The case is worst in Sub-Saharan Africa as HIV/AIDS have increased death rates and lowered life expectancy among adults in the region to ages between 20 and 49 years.

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