Human Immune Virus (HIV) cases on the rise - NACP.

Human Immune Virus (HIV) cases on the rise - NACP.

At the end of the third quarter of 2022, which runs from January to September, 33,870 people in Ghana had tested positive for HIV, with 24,017 of them being female and 9,853 of them being male.

Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo, Programme Manager, National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NACP), reported that a total of 9,160 adult males and 693 male children, as well as 23,294 adult females and 723 female children, tested positive.

In total, 1,441,986 people were tested during the time period, and 33,870 of them, or 2.3 percent, tested positive, he said. 17,846 non-pregnant women and 5,448 pregnant women tested positive, according to the data.

Dr. Ayisi Addo made this statement at the Ghana News Agency, Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue Platform during the pre-launch of a practical national campaign focusing on HIV Self-Test (HIVST) kits.

The HIV Self-Test Kits pack includes a test device, a preservative, a developer vial, and a test stand, as well as an instruction manual for use that is written in both English and Twi. The instruction manual also includes just eleven easy-to-follow steps and clear pictures to help the individual administer themselves without the assistance of anyone else.

Dr. Ayisi Addo gave the Ghana News Agency, Tema Regional Team a demonstration of how to use the HIVST kits and invited them to lead the advocacy for its use before the national launch and campaign in the coming year of 2023.

At the end of the third quarter, Greater Accra had 6,863 HIV-positive cases, followed by the Ashanti with 6,735, the Eastern had 4,968, the Central had 2,572, Bono hit had 2,182, Western had 1,960, Volta had 1,830, Bono East had 1,697, and the Western North had 1,260.

The remaining cases were recorded in Ahafo (905), Northern (733), Oti (621), Upper East (620), Upper West (507) and Savannah (273), with North East having the fewest (144) cases.

According to data made available to the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office, a total of 739,920 people were tested in 2016; of those, 38,582 (or 5.2%) tested positive. In 2017, 896,042 people were tested, and of those, 43,200 (or 5.0%) tested positive. In 2018, a total of 1,226,299 people were tested, and of those, 53,779 (or 4.0%) tested positive.

A total of 1,397,379 people were tested in 2019, and of those, 53,996 (3.9%) tested positive. In 2020, 1,322,446 people were tested, and of those, 39,318 (3.0%) tested positive. In 2021, a total of 1,403, 015 people were tested, and of those, 38,906 (2.8%) tested positive.

Even though Dr. Ayisi Addo acknowledged that the numbers were declining, he expressed concern that the rate was moving too slowly and demanded increased advocacy to hasten the decline.

He called for attitudinal change as HIV is still prevalent, “people need to change their way of life for us to reduce the number drastically…am afraid the figures would hit over 40,000 by the time we collate the figures for the fourth quarter of 2022”.

Also Read: HIV/AIDS: Ghanaian Youth advised to value condom use.

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Source: HR Forum News