W/R HIV prevalence rate drops

HIV prevalence rate in the Western Region dropped from 2.5% in 2010 to 1.9% in 2011, Mr. Abu Mahama, Western Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission said on Monday.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency about the 2011 Sentinel Report, he said the prevalence rate of HIV in the region reduced from 4.3% in 2006 to 3.2% in 2007 and further reduced to 2.9% in 2008.

Mr. Mahama said this was due to the effectiveness of projects and programmes that were implemented by implementing agencies; however the HIV rate increased to 3.1% in 2009.

He said according to a report from the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital from 2009 to 2011, HIV positive people in the region was 12,653 and out of this figure, 3,853 people made up of 889 male adults, 182 male children and 223 female children were registered for anti-retroviral therapy.

He said within the same period, the total number of reported deaths in the region from the virus was 250 made up 236 adults and 14 children.**