Intensify HIV education to curb new infections, NGO

Samuel Yao Atidzah, Executive Director of the Gosanet Foundation, is calling for a significant ramp-up in public education about HIV/AIDS. He stressed that intensified awareness campaigns are crucial for curbing new infections and ensuring better access to prevention, testing, treatment, and care services across the nation. Atidzah highlighted that understanding HIV's impact on national development is key to encouraging responsible behavior and strengthening the country's overall response to the epidemic.

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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.

His remarks came during a stakeholder dialogue on HIV prevention held in Dzemeni, South Dayi District. Atidzah revealed alarming statistics for the Volta Region, which has recorded 18,387 people living with HIV as of 2025, with an additional 713 new infections reported this year. This situation presents a major hurdle for the region's development. The adult prevalence rate among those aged 15 to 49 stands at 1.41 percent. While approximately 73 percent of those living with HIV are aware of their status, only 63.3 percent are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

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The prevalence rate among adults aged between 15 and 49 stood at 1.41 per cent.

The South Dayi District, in particular, faces a high burden of HIV cases within the region, with 846 adults living with the virus and 52 new infections recorded since 2025. Atidzah emphasized the urgent need for sustained community engagement, especially targeting vulnerable groups, to drive down new infection rates. He urged residents to utilize available testing services to know their status, seek early treatment, and adopt healthier lifestyles.

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The South Dayi District remained one of the areas with relatively high HIV cases in the region.

Through the GHANET project, the Gosanet Foundation is committed to implementing comprehensive HIV prevention strategies in the South Dayi District. These efforts include raising community awareness about HIV testing, distributing self-test kits and condoms, and promoting other preventive measures. Atidzah noted that a lack of adequate education in some communities hinders the adoption of preventive measures, with some individuals still holding misconceptions about HIV's prevalence in Ghana. The organization also focuses on behavior change communication, referrals to health facilities, and advocacy to combat stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV. Atidzah called for a collective effort from chiefs, religious leaders, fisherfolk associations, youth groups, volunteers, civil society organizations, and the media to promote regular testing and end HIV as a public health threat.

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ending HIV as a public health threat required a collective effort, including promoting safer sexual practices and supporting people liv