AIDS kills 580,000 Ghanaians in 40 years - AIDS Commis­sion

935,000 Ghanaians have been infected with HIV, with nearly 580,000 deaths since the disease emerged 40 years ago.

Over 230,000 children are estimated to be orphaned by AIDS.

The Director-General (DG) of the Ghana AIDS Commis­sion (GAC), Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene, disclosed these statistics at this year’s World AIDS Day National Durbar in Accra yesterday.

He expressed concern about the challenges confronting persons vulnerable to HIV and AIDS in resource allocation, despite the significant progress made in the overall HIV response.

This challenge, he explained, has created a concern about the lack of socio-economic impact mitigation assistance and social protection support for affected households.

The D-G said the Commis­sion had only secured 33 percent of the total funds needed for the national response over the next three years, with the remaining 67 percent requiring domestic mobilisation.

“To address this funding gap, the Commission is implement­ing a five-year resource mobili­sation strategy and collaborating with partners to develop an investment case for the HIV and AIDS response,” he added.

He emphasised the importance of community engage­ment, capacity-building, and support to empower communities to lead comprehensive and preventive community-based service programmes.

The Chief of Staff at the office of the President, Akosua Frema Osei Opare, acknowl­edged the efforts of the Coun­try Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) in finalising the Global Fund Grant Cycle 7 applications for 2024-2026.

She said gender inequality significantly contributed to the disproportionate HIV bur­den among women and girls, indicating that initiatives like the Free SHS programme played a crucial role in reducing new HIV infections in adolescent girls and young women, adding, “Ghana was well-positioned to collaborate with development partners to eliminate stigma and discrimination.”

According to her, the “Break­ing down Barriers” initiative supported by the Global Fund would address these challenges, and the invitation to join the Global Partnership for the Elimination of HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination was a significant step forward.

The Chief of Staff also indicated that the government’s commitment to joining the Global Partnership in line with the 2021 UN Political Declara­tion on HIV and AIDS rein­forces its dedication to ending AIDS by 2030 and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Accra, Rolf Olson, commended the Ghana Health Service and the GAC for their work, pledging continued support from the US government.

UNAIDS Country Director, Hector Sucilla Pérez, acknowl­edged the vital role of communities and community-led organisations in achieving the 2025 UN targets.

The event, on the theme “Let Communities Lead”, brought together stakeholders, development partners, ministers of state, and people living with HIV to raise awareness, assess progress, and address gaps in achieving national strategic objectives.