1.7% of adult population living with HIV/AIDS - Commission

Ghana Aids Commission has revealed that about 1.7 percent of the adult population in Ghana are living with the Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The commission has also indicated that about 340,000 people are currently living with the Aids virus.

Out of these 340,000 people who are infected in the country, the prevalence of new recorded cases falls within the adult population and their age’s range from 15 to 49 years.

Director General of Aids Commission Mr. Kyeremeh Atuahene disclosed this in an interview on Yen Sempa show on Onua FM on Tuesday June 1 and stressed the need for the general public to know that HIV/AIDS is real and it’s still death-defying.

He explained that adults who age within 15 to 24years are the most infected and they contribute more than a quarter of new infection of HIV Aids in Ghana.

“Our data and statistics indicates that adults whose ages fall within 15 to 24years are the most infected and that contributes more than a quarter of the new HIV Aids cases recorded in Ghana”.

Kyeremeh Atuahene touching on the World International Whores’ Day which is observed annually on June 2 of each year expressed fret over the rate of HIV prevalence among female sex workers in the country.

He indicated that female sex workers are disproportionally affected by the HIV Aids due to the fact that the male partners demands for unprotected sex and that contributes to the widespread of the virus in Ghana.

He revealed that the HIV prevalence among female sex workers in Ghana is 4.6 percent as compared to the general adult population.

The Director General however, indicated that the commission has formulated policies and strategies to provide high-level advocacy for the commercial sex workers.

Some of the strategies he said is to engage the female sex workers, provide them with condoms and ensuring that they go for HIV/AIDS test at least twice a year to ascertain their status.

He said that the commission is doing everything possible to eradicate or minimize the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Ghana yet the infectious rate is high and would need the support of the general public.