“About 45 People Contract HIV Every Day in Ghana”: President of AIDS Network Says
- Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) reported that the country records approximately 45 new HIV infections daily
- Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin, the President of GHANET, mentioned the gender with the highest infection rate and explained why
- Ghanaians on social media called for urgent awareness and prevention initiatives to be amplified after alarming HIV statistics were released
Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin, President of the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) disclosed the statistics on the number of people who contract HIV every day in Ghana.
The GHANET President indicated that due to the high rate of infection, there is a need for more awareness and education to reduce it.
Source: Getty Images
In a video on X, Ernest Amoabeng Orstin also indicated which gender has the higher tendency to contract the virus.
"About 45 people contract HIV every day in Ghana, with women accounting for approximately 68.5% of new infections, while men make up 31.5%."
Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin explained why more women contract HIV than men.
"Research unfortunately shows that it is our mothers and women who contract the disease the most. There are various factors that cause this. We have more data on women with the disease than men. This is because when women get pregnant and start antenatal visits, they are tested for the virus, and then they are given medicine to protect the child if they test positive. However, men don't often go to the hospital."
"Our data also show that most men are promiscuous. It showed that most Ghanaian men have between seven and nine different women in a year. So when a man has the disease, it is easier to spread it without protection," he added.
After sharing the details, Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin emphasised the continued impact of HIV in Ghana and the need for increased awareness, prevention, and support efforts.
Watch the X video below:
Reactions to HIV statistics in Ghana
YEN.com.gh collated some reactions to the video shared by @askghmedia on X. Read them below:
@Mosunmolaobiora said:
"HIV is still a serious public health issue. Awareness and regular testing remain important. If the numbers keep rising, we need to rethink our approach instead of repeating the same campaigns."
@ISLIONHEARTZ wrote:
"What’s the National AIDS Commission doing about this? Even healthcare providers don’t even know about PrEP and PEP, not to talk of the layman."
@wasymp_1 said:
"The growing prevalence of such a culture is a significant contributor to the increase in infections. The odds are disproportionately stacked against women working in this sector."
@AutoGigx wrote:
"Eiiish, this is getting scary oo. So what actually can we do to save ourselves from this?"
@Mosunmolaobiora said:
"If these numbers don't spark a national conversation, what will? Awareness campaigns shouldn't only happen on World AIDS Day. If the numbers keep rising, we need to rethink our approach instead of repeating the same campaigns. Prevention is cheaper than treatment, and this is why I personally choose to stay away from it; even common kissing takes it far away from me."
Source: YEN.com.gh
