HIV/Aids on the rise: 23,495 people infected in six months

The programme manager of the National STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) and HIV/Aids Control Programme has disclosed that up to 23,495 people got infected with HIV/Aids in Ghana between January and June 2022.

According to Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo, the number of positive cases recorded was 2 per cent of the 948,094 people who tested for HIV/AIDs in the country, asaaseradio.com reports.

He said that even though 23,495 positive case was below the mid-year target of 25,545, it was still on the high side.

“The figure for this new infection is too high, so we need to intensify education to let people know that HIV is still real; it is around and there must be constant reminders.

“We have to let people know that they need to stick to the prevention strategies, whether they are children or adults,” he is quoted by asaaseradio.com.

Dr. Ayisi Addo indicated that the number of HIV/AIDS are increasing in the country because the education and sensitisation on the disease have dropped drastically even though it remains a threat because it has no cure.

“Some youth today don’t know HIV is there. Some know, but they have assumed that it’s gone. People are now more afraid of COVID-19 and the Marburg fever than they are of Aids,” he said.

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He added that as long people marry and have sex HIV/AIDs will continue to exist, therefore, all stakeholders in the fight against HIV/AIDs must continue to let the citizenry know about the virus.