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The Ghana AIDS Commission has revealed that a total of 934 new cases of HIV infection was recorded in the Bono region in the year 2023 putting the region on top of the National HIV Fact Sheet with 2.12 HIV Prevalence.
Greater Accra comes second with 1.98, Eastern 1.95, Western North 1.82, Ahafo 1.79, Ashanti 1.70, Bono East 1.58, Western 1.55, Volta 1.35, Central 1.31, Oti 1.09, Upper West 0.91, Upper East 0.80, Savannah 0.69, North East 0.43 and Northern 0.38. The National HIV Prevalence is 1.62.
Currently, 334,095 persons are living with HIV in the country as at the end of 2023. Out of this 316,545 are adults (15+ years) and 17,550 are children (less than 15 years). A total of 17,774 new cases were recorded nation wide in 2023. 16,076 are adults while 1,698 are children. AIDS related deaths were 12,480.
Speaking at the Bono Regional HIV Key Stakeholders Coordination Forum in Sunyani on Wednesday July 3, 2024, Regional Technical Coordinator Ghana AIDS Commission, Ahmed Ibrahim Bambila expressed worry on the rate at which HIV is spreading in the region especially among the youths and children.
He revealed that on average 20 new HIV cases were recorded weekly across the region in 2023. “Currently, 18,564 persons are living with HIV in the region as at the end of 2023. Last year alone 934 new cases were recorded.”
“Out of the 12 districts in the region Berekum municipal top with 3.34 HIV Prevalence, Dormaa East 3.11, Jaman South 2.43, Sunyani municipal 2.35, Tain 2.07, Dormaa municipal and Wenchi tie with 2.05, Banda 1.85, Dormaa West 1.69, Jaman North 1.52, Sunyani West 1.30 and Berekum West 1.18.”
Per HIV New Infections, Sunyani municipal recorded 152cases, follow by Berekum municipal with 111, Jaman South 96, Tain and Wenchi tie with 92, Dormaa municipal 85, Dormaa East 79, Sunyani West 76, Jaman North 74, Dormaa West and Berekum West 30 each and Banda 17.
Mr Bambila noted that there are more persons out there who due to fear, stgimatization and other reasons best known them have failed to check their status which is making it very difficult in the fight against the disease. He called on all stakeholders especially nananom, the media and the clergy to join the campaign.
He added that though his outfit has not conducted any research about the causes but he attributed it to irresponsible parenting, poverty, abuse of alcohol and drugs among the youths, seccessive intake of aphrodisiac, urbanisation, desire to owe expensive phones and other items among the young girls and social media.
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