Huni-valley: Data from the Ghana AIDS Control Commission has revealed that in 2024 more than 1,000 new Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections were detected in the Western Region, Dr. Mrs. Felicia Amihere, the Western Regional HIV Coordinator, said. According to her, 80% of HIV cases were acquired through sexual contact, 15% were from mother to child, and five percent were from using sharp objects like needles.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs. Amihere, in an interview with the media in Huni-Valley, advised the public to protect themselves from Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD), since most of the infections they recorded were from sex. She appealed to the public to practice the 'A' (for abstinence), 'B' (be faithful to one uninfected partner) and 'C' (correct consistent use of condoms) methods to stay safe, adding that if everyone abstained from sex for a year, they could reduce HIV by 80%.
Mrs. Amihere noted that "now sex comes in so many forms. People can download apps on their mobile phones and order for sex like they order for a ride." She also highlighted issues with the abuse of emergency contraceptives, which leads to reduced condom use, complicating efforts to reduce HIV infection rates across the country.
She mentioned that although HIV was first reported in Ghana in 1986, the number of cases has not decreased as expected and continues to rise. She emphasized that "where money is involved, sexual activities increase." She pointed out that Tarkwa Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley Municipalities have high cases, and even in the Wassa Amenfi Central, East, and West districts and municipalities, where HIV prevalence was previously low, there is now a rise due to increased mining activities.
Dr. Amihere stressed that "HIV is real, it is not spiritual, people get it, but with the appropriate treatment, they manage it and stay healthy." She urged those who test positive to adhere to their treatment and to ignore those offering drugs claiming to cure AIDS. She warned that "currently, there is no cure for HIV/AIDS. Those who switch their treatment to those medications end up progressing to AIDS, and it gets too late, some even lose their lives."