The Executive Director of the Gosanet Foundation, Mr Samuel Yao Atidzah, has called for intensified public education on HIV to help reduce new infections and improve access to prevention, testing, treatment and care services.
He said increasing awareness of the impact of HIV on national development was critical to encouraging responsible behaviour and strengthening the country’s response to the disease.
Mr Atidzah made the call at a stakeholder dialogue on HIV prevention held at Dzemeni in the South Dayi District.
He disclosed that available data indicated that the Volta Region had recorded 18,387 people living with HIV as of 2025, with 713 new infections reported to date, describing the situation as a major challenge to the development of the region.
He said the prevalence rate among adults aged between 15 and 49 stood at 1.41 per cent.
According to him, about 73 per cent of people living with HIV in the region were aware of their status, while 63.3 per cent were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Mr Atidzah noted that the South Dayi District remained one of the areas with relatively high HIV cases in the region.
He said the district had an adult population of 846 people living with HIV, with 52 new infections recorded from 2025 to date.
He stressed that the figures underscored the need for sustained community engagement, particularly among vulnerable groups, to reduce new infections.
Mr Atidzah urged residents to take advantage of testing services to know their status, seek early treatment and adopt responsible lifestyles.
He explained that under the GHANET project, the Gosanet Foundation would continue to implement comprehensive HIV prevention interventions in the South Dayi District, which is its current operational area.
He said the interventions included community sensitisation on HIV testing, the distribution of HIV self-test kits and condoms, as well as other preventive measures.
Mr Atidzah observed that lack of adequate education in some communities had made it difficult for residents to embrace preventive measures, noting that some people still believed HIV no longer existed in Ghana.
He added that the organisation was also engaged in behaviour change communication, referral of clients to health facilities for confirmatory testing and treatment, and advocacy to eliminate stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.
Mr Atidzah commended the Volta Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Mrs Mary Naa Asheley Anyomi, for her support in the fight against HIV in the region.
He, therefore, called on chiefs, religious leaders, fisherfolk associations, youth groups, community volunteers, civil society organisations and the media to work together to promote regular testing.
He emphasised that ending HIV as a public health threat required a collective effort, including promoting safer sexual practices and supporting people living with the condition.
FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, DZEMENI
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