Participants after the health walk

 Statistics of the 2022 HIV/AIDS report shows that some 16,996 persons are living with the disease in the Volta region.

The majority constituting 68 per cent of the estimated HIV population could be found in nine districts within the region, namely, Ho, Hohoe, Ketu South, Ho West, North Tongu, Central Tongu, Keta, South Tongu and Kpando Municipality.

The region further recorded 730 new HIV infections for all ages within the period and young people between ages 15-24, accounting for 12.05 per cent.

Mrs Mary Naa Asheley Anyomi, Vol­ta Regional Coordinator, Ghana AIDs Commission/TSU gave the data during a health walk in commemoration of the 2023 World AIDS Day (WAD) in Ho, under the theme, “Let Communities Lead.”

It was organised by the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) in collaboration with the Network of Persons Living with HIV (NAP+) and other stakeholders to create more awareness on the HIV Self-Testing (HIVST) kit.

Mrs Anyomi indicated 72.2 per cent of the data are on lifelong Anti-Ret­roviral Therapy (ART) treatment with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) subscribing 95 per cent.

She stated that the report suggest­ed that at least two out of every 100 people in the region are Living with HIV with a prevalence rate of 1.50 per cent, but however said eight dis­tricts including Kpando, South Tongu, Central Tongu, North Dayi, Keta, Ho, Akatsi North and North Tongu have prevalence more than the regional rate.

She said GHANET was coordinating the implementation of HIVST in Ho, Hohoe, Ho West and Adaklu towards contributing to the global target of ending the disease in 2030.

Dr Archibald Letsa, Volta Regional Minister in an address read for him by Mr Augustus Awity, Chief Director at the Regional Coordinating Council said the region and Country at large risked losing the benefits of scientific advancement in ART if funding for drugs continued to remain fully donor dependent.

“Domestic funding for ARVs is urgently needed to sustain the treat­ment programme and keep PLHIV alive, strong and healthy,” as the government sets up the national HIV and AIDS Fund to counter-fund drugs for the disease.

He appealed to corporate Ghana among philanthropists to contribute to the fund as ART had averted the disease progression and AIDS deaths among thousands of PLHIV.

The President of GHANET, Mr Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin, said with the steadfastness of the Global Fund, Ministry of Health and the National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NACP), another HIVST kit CheckNow was introduced in addition to the earlier Oraquick kit.

The Focal Person of Ghana Health Service (GHS), Mr Courage Kofi Botchway urged the communities to mainstream prevention campaigns, monitoring, treatment adherence and knowledge generation. — GNA