The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has released a very serious report that shows many people living with HIV in Ghana are not getting the treatment they need to stay healthy and live longer. This was shared during a press conference held in Accra on July 3, 2025, when the Commission released the 2024 national and regional HIV estimates and future projections.According to the Commission’s data, only 334,721 people who are living with HIV in Ghana are currently on antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART is the medicine that helps people with HIV to live longer and prevents the virus from multiplying in their bodies. But this number represents just 47 percent of the total number of people living with HIV in the country. That means over 52 percent of people with HIV are not on any treatment.
This is very worrying. The Commission said it is an “alarming” situation that could stop the progress Ghana has made in fighting HIV and AIDS. The Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Commission, Mr. Isaiah Doe Kwao, warned that this is not just a danger to those who already have the virus. If many people remain untreated, it increases the chance of spreading the virus to others — especially sexual partners, unborn babies, and the wider community.
The UNAIDS 95-95-95 Goals
Ghana is currently not doing well in achieving the global HIV goals known as the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. These are goals set by the United Nations to help end the HIV epidemic. The 95-95-95 targets mean:
1. 95% of all people living with HIV should know their HIV status.
2. 95% of those who know their status should be receiving treatment.
3. 95% of those receiving treatment should have their viral load suppressed, meaning the virus is so low in the body it can’t be passed to others.
The Ghana AIDS Commission’s report shows that Ghana is far behind these targets. If more than half of HIV-positive people are not on treatment, it will be very difficult for the country to control the spread of the disease.
New HIV Infections and Deaths in 2024
In the year 2024 alone, Ghana recorded 15,290 new HIV infections. This means more people continue to get infected every year. Also, the country reported 12,614 deaths that were caused by AIDS-related illnesses. These are deaths that happened because people had advanced HIV but were not receiving proper treatment.
However, the Commission also reported that 12,358 lives were saved because of antiretroviral therapy. This shows clearly how important ART is in keeping people alive. If those who are not on treatment receive proper care, many more lives could be saved in the future.
Women and Children at Higher Risk
The report showed that women and children are suffering the most from the HIV epidemic in Ghana. Out of the total number of new HIV infections recorded in 2024:
10,303 (68.5%) were in females.
1,243 (5.4%) were in children under the age of 15.
This means nearly 7 out of every 10 new infections happened in women, and many young children are also being infected.The Ghana AIDS Commission did note one positive development: 99.3% of pregnant women who tested positive for HIV received PMTCT services — which means Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission. This is a special medical care that helps stop mothers from passing the virus to their unborn babies. But the Commission also said more must be done to follow up on these mothers and children, to make sure they stay healthy and continue treatment after birth.
Why So Many People Are Not Getting Treatment
At the press briefing, Deputy Chief of Staff Nana Oye Bampoe Addo explained why so many people with HIV in Ghana are not receiving the treatment they need. She mentioned several key problems:
1. Stigma – Many people are ashamed or afraid to tell others they have HIV because of how society will treat them. This fear keeps them away from hospitals and clinics.
2. Misinformation – Some people do not understand HIV or believe false information about the disease. Others may think they are healed through spiritual means or traditional medicine, so they stop taking treatment.
3. Economic hardship – Poverty is also a big issue. Some people cannot afford transportation to health centers or cannot take time off work to visit a clinic.
4. Limited healthcare services – In some areas, there are not enough health workers, medicines, or equipment to provide care for everyone who needs it.
5. Cuts in foreign support – Recently, international support for HIV programs in Ghana has gone down. One big example is the suspension of support from USAID (United States Agency for International Development).
All these problems make it harder for people to access life-saving HIV treatment.
Despite these challenges, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo said the government is not giving up. She said they are taking important steps to solve these problems by:
Raising local (domestic) funds to reduce dependence on foreign aid.
Combining HIV programs with other health services, so it becomes part of the general healthcare system.
Using data and new technology to improve how HIV services are delivered across the country.
She also gave a very strong warning: “Every person with HIV who is not on treatment is moving closer to serious illness and possibly death from AIDS. This is not acceptable in today’s world when we have the medicine to save lives.”
HIV Infection Rates in Different Regions of Ghana
The Ghana AIDS Commission also shared the 2024 data about the number of new HIV infections in different regions of the country. The data showed that:
Greater Accra Region had the highest number of new cases: 3,436
Ashanti Region followed with 2,997
Eastern Region recorded 2,019
Central Region had 1,140
Western Region reported 1,120
Other regions also recorded new infections:
Bono Region: 875
Volta Region: 809
Bono East: 649
Western North: 478
Ahafo Region: 350
Upper East: 345
Northern Region: 318
Upper West: 292
Oti Region: 222
Savannah Region: 143
North East Region: 97
This clearly shows that every region in Ghana is affected by HIV in some way, and there is no region that is free from the disease. Therefore, it is important that health education, testing, and treatment services are available across the entire country — not just in the major cities.
Final Words and Way Forward
The Ghana AIDS Commission and government officials are sending a strong message to everyone — both the public and healthcare workers — that more action must be taken immediately to stop the spread of HIV and save lives. They are asking communities to help reduce stigma, encourage people to get tested, and support those living with the virus.
They also promised to work harder to increase treatment access, ensure no one is left behind, and reach the global HIV goals by the year 2030, which is the target year to end AIDS as a public health threat.
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