HIV - Ghana News Express

Stigmatisation discourages people from testing for HIV, let’s drop it – Dr Bakari

27Dec

By Enoch Ntiamoah SiawNo Comments

Health

Stigmatisation discourages people from testing for HIV, let’s drop it – Dr Bakari

Dr Magdalene Bakari, the Lead Specialist for Health Services of Gold Fields Ghana, has stated that stigmatisation discouraged people from getting tested and seeking treatment for HIV. She said many people feared been judged, rejected, and labelled, so they would not attempt to go for screening exercise when organised in their communities. Dr Bakari noted that stigmatising people living with HIV hurts and hindered efforts at controlling the disease in the country and appealed to Ghanaians to stop it. Commemorating this year’s World AIDS Day on the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response” the lead specialist said “HIV/AIDS is not airborne, we can share a bed and eat together with those a...

Many Girls Acquire HIV During First Sexual Experience – GAC

26Sep

By Enoch Ntiamoah SiawNo Comments

Education

Many Girls Acquire HIV During First Sexual Experience – GAC

The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has revealed that research confirms many adolescent girls in the country contract HIV during their very first sexual experience. Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Bimbilla, the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regional Technical Coordinator of the GAC, described the situation as alarming and advised sexually active girls to abstain from premarital sex. He cautioned that those unable to resist sexual urges should at least avoid unprotected sex and multiple partners, emphasizing that total abstinence remains the surest protection against HIV and AIDS. Mr. Bimbilla gave the advice while addressing a radio clinic and community forum of the Sunyani Adolescent Parliament, an initiative of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF). The Adolescent Parliament was...

Landmark deal paves way for cheaper HIV protection jab

25Sep

By Enoch Ntiamoah SiawNo Comments

Health

Landmark deal paves way for cheaper HIV protection jab

A new HIV prevention drug will be made available at a lower cost in over 100 low-income countries within two years — a move expected to give millions access to the breakthrough treatment and potentially bring the world closer to ending the HIV/Aids epidemic. The drug, called Lenacapavir and administered by injection, is due to be rolled out as early as the end of this year, at a cost of $28,000 (£20,000) per person annually. But Wednesday's announcement promises to slash that price to just $40 — around 0.1% of the original cost. The lower-cost version will be rolled out in 2027 across 120 low- and middle-income countries. Scientists say the drug stops the virus from replicating inside cells. The agreement announced on Wednesday was reached between the Clinton Health Access Init...

14Jul

By ghnewsexpressNo Comments

News

48,580 HIV test kits distributed to men

The Ghana HIV and AIDs Network, (GHANET) has distributed 48, 580 HIV test kits to some men across its project operational areas. The figure, represented 63 per cent of the total target distribution of 77,665. Mrs. Victoria Araba Dennis, the Vice President of the Network, told the GNA that the focus on men was a deliberate strategy aimed at increasing HIV testing uptake among men who generally exhibited poor health seeking behaviours. She added that distribution by age saw clients between 20 and 24 receiving the highest proportion of the test kits, followed closely by those aged 25 to 29 and 30 to 34. Also, 44 of the test kits were taken up by minors aged 0-14 years. Mrs. Dennis said the above was done with parental request and consent. She said majority of clients, repre...

Revisit plenary topics to ensure sustainable funding for HIV response -ICASA President

29Mar

By ghnewsexpressNo Comments

News

Revisit plenary topics to ensure sustainable funding for HIV response -ICASA President

Dr David Pagwesese Parirenyatwa, President Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA), has urged the three committees of International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) 2025 to revisit their plenary topics to ensure sustainable funding for HIV response. The committees include the Leadership, Scientific and Community programmes. He said this was crucial to help address the domestic financing of health systems and the sustainability of HIV/AIDS response, given the recent action taken by the U.S Government to freeze funding for HIV support. Dr Parirenyatwa who doubles as the President ICASA 2025, gave the advice at the second International Steering Committee (ISC) meeting in Accra. He said domestic funding should be incorporated into o...

Nigeria and Kenya among nations running out of HIV drugs – WHO

18Mar

By ghnewsexpressNo Comments

World

Nigeria and Kenya among nations running out of HIV drugs – WHO

An estimated 25 million people are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa Eight countries - six of them in Africa, including Nigeria, Kenya and Lesotho - could soon run out of HIV drugs following the US government's recent decision to pause foreign aid, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said. US President Donald Trump announced the freeze on his first day in office in January as part of a review into government spending. "Disruptions to HIV programmes could undo 20 years of progress," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned. It could also lead to more than 10 million additional cases of HIV and three million HIV-related deaths, he added, noting this was "more than triple the number of deaths last year". Nigeria, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso and Mali - as...

Restore access to all PEPFAR-supported HIV services immediately

29Jan

By ghnewsexpressNo Comments

World

Restore access to all PEPFAR-supported HIV services immediately

IAS – the International AIDS Society – notes the decision to waive the suspension of “life-saving humanitarian assistance”, including “core life-saving medicine.” This should now ensure that HIV treatment disbursed by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) can continue across all PEPFAR-supported countries. The Trump administration froze foreign aid funding, including to PEPFAR and, unexpectedly on 24 January, it imposed a stop-work order on existing operations. Clinic staff were sent home, distribution of ARVs bought with US funds was halted – cutting off HIV treatment for 20.6 million people. On 28 January, new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a temporary waiver of aspects of this freeze. “Since its bipartisan creation, PEPFAR has ...

Youth urged to practice safe sex to prevent HIV

7Jan

By Enoch Ntiamoah SiawNo Comments

News

Youth urged to practice safe sex to prevent HIV

Naana Kakie, Chief Executive Officer of Naana Kakie Foundation, a non-governmental organization on HIV/AIDS awareness, has urged the youth to always practice safe sex to protect themselves and families from sexually transmitted diseases. Naana Kakie disclosed that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was fast spreading among the youth, hence the need for safe sex practice. She said this at Akplabanya in the Ada West District during a welcome durbar in honour of Miss Helena Adiki Ozor, winner of GaDangme Bi Yoo 2024. “I implore you, especially the youth, to practice safe sex and protect yourselves and your families,” she said, disclosing that data on HIV/AIDS showed that over 5,000 individuals living with HIV in Ada, and about 2,200 of them being on antiretroviral treatment. In an...

Ghana detects 34,000 new HIV infections within nine months of 2024

6Nov

By Enoch Ntiamoah SiawNo Comments

News

Ghana detects 34,000 new HIV infections within nine months of 2024

The National HIV and AIDS Control Programme of the Ghana Health Service has reported over 34,000 new HIV infections detected from January to the third quarter of 2024. Buy vitamins and supplements Dr Stephen Ayisi Addo, the Programme Manager, emphasised the importance of public testing and screening, revealing that approximately 1.3 million people were screened during this period. “Between January and the third quarter alone, the number of people we identified as positives through our testing activities was 34,000,” he noted. Dr Addo disclosed this during the launch of the 2024 World AIDS Day, organized by the Ghana AIDS Commission, which included a solemn candlelight procession in memory of those who have lost their lives to AIDS. World AIDS Day, celebrated annually on Dece...