'A galamsey operator infected me with HIV, I will spread it' – Young lady threatens

A video has emerged online of a 19-year-old young lady alleging that she contracted HIV from an illegal miner.

In the footage, which has not been independently verified, the young woman recounts how she initially engaged in illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey, before moving into sex work due to financial pressures.

According to her, the mining work was physically demanding and unsustainable.

“I ventured into galamsey, but it was too laborious, so I decided to go into prostitution because I was earning money, and I went into it full time,” she said.

She further claimed that she later structured her activities and continued in sex work full-time.

“Some days I get 5,000 cedis,” she said.

The young woman also claimed that she later tested positive for HIV after meeting a man she described as a galamsey operator, who allegedly promised her a “gift” that would be confirmed at a hospital.

She expressed anger over her situation and made a statement suggesting retaliation.

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“A galamsey operator infected me with HIV, and I will spread it to other men", she added.

Ghana's legal framework addresses intentional or reckless transmission of HIV under public health and criminal law provisions.

The Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732), also provides for offences where a person in a domestic relationship knowingly exposes a partner to serious harm, including communicable diseases, without disclosure.

Penalties for offences under relevant provisions may include fines and/or imprisonment of up to two years, depending on the charge and evidence presented

The Ghana AIDS Commission has linked higher HIV vulnerability in mining communities to the influx of migrant workers and transactional sex networks that develop around galamsey sites.

See the video below:

🇬🇭 “I’m HIV-positive and I’ll make sure to share it with boys” — 19-year-old woman sparks outrage

A 19-year-old woman who claims she is living with HIV says she contracted the virus after a relationship at a galamsey site. pic.twitter.com/r0qnzbo6du

— CDR AFRICA (@cdrafrica) July 3, 2026