Low HIV testing rates threaten progress toward 95-95-95 targets - GAC warns

The Acting Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Dr Prosper Akanbong, has raised concerns about Ghana’s slow progress toward achieving the global 95-95-95 HIV targets.

Dr Akambo said intensified efforts to expand testing, strengthen treatment uptake, eliminate stigma and discrimination across communities were necessary.

Speaking at the launch of the 23rd International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA 2025) in Accra, Dr Akanbong said the country was still far from meeting the first two UNAIDS benchmarks.

He explained that the 95-95-95 targets aim for 95 per cent of all people living with HIV to know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed to be on sustained treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression.

“Currently, only 68 per cent of people living with HIV in Ghana know their status. Of those who know their status, 69 per cent are on treatment, and 90 per cent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression,” he said.

“We are doing relatively well with viral suppression, but the first two targets are nowhere near where we need to be. It is a worry,” he added.

Dr Akanbong emphasised that the viral suppression, where the virus becomes undetectable in the blood, was only possible when individuals adhered to their medication.

He said: “You suppress it to a point where the virus is no longer a threat to your health. At that stage, people can even safely have children. But this can only happen when people know their status and stay on treatment.”

The Acting Director General attributed the low testing rates, especially among males with less than 20 per cent testing annually, to deeply rooted stigmatisation and discriminatory attitudes.

Ghana’s HIV stigma index stands at 72 per cent, one of the highest in the sub-region, saying, “People still fear sitting in the same room with someone living with HIV. Many prefer to seek help first from pastors or alternative healers instead of health facilities. These behaviours limit testing and prevent early treatment.”

To address these challenges, the GAC is expanding access to HIV self-testing kits across the country through Antiretroviral Therapy Centres (ARTCs) and partnerships with the Youth Employment Agency.

About 5,000 young volunteers have been trained to serve as HIV self-testing ambassadors.

“You can walk into any ARTC and request a self-test kit. You will be counselled and guided on how to use it. The aim is to bring testing closer to people and remove the fear of visiting hospitals,” Dr Akanbong explained.

Dr Fiona Braka, World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, urged African governments to invest in integrated health systems and ensure permanent budget allocations for HIV responses.

“Our path to 2030 is short and challenging, but clear. We must unite in the fight against AIDS, TB, and malaria under the umbrella of universal health coverage.

Dr Braka urged the media and civil society organisations to support and serve as watchdogs, holding all stakeholders accountable.

The 23rd ICASA Conference, organised by the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA), is on the theme: “Africa in Action: Catalysing Integrated and Resilient Health Systems for Sustainable Responses to End HIV, Other Infectious Diseases and Emerging Threats.”

The conference, which is being hosted in Ghana for the first time from

December 3–8 would convene about 3,000 delegates from 85 countries.