.jfif)
Ghana recorded 15,290 new HIV infections and 12,614 AIDS-related deaths in 2024, pushing the total number of people living with the virus to 334,721. The latest national estimates paint a sobering picture of the country's public health landscape, exposing a massive and widening gender gap that leaves young women highly vulnerable.
According to data released by the Ghana AIDS Commission, women account for an overwhelming 68.5 percent of all Ghanaians currently living with HIV. The disparity is even more pronounced among the youth; out of the 4,732 new infections recorded among individuals aged 15 to 24, a staggering 83.1 percent were young females. Furthermore, AIDS-related deaths among young people saw a sharp 17 percent spike over the previous year.
The report also reveals that Ghana is falling short of the global "95-95-95" management targets. Currently, only 68 percent of people living with HIV in the country know their status, and less than half of infected adults are receiving antiretroviral therapy. This massive treatment gap means more than 50 percent of adults living with the virus are currently going without lifesaving medication.
Amidst the troubling statistics, health officials recorded a major victory in maternal health. The Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission program achieved a remarkable 99.3 percent success rate in 2024, nearly eliminating the transmission of the virus to newborns.
Speaking on the findings, the Ashanti Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Ms. Olivia Graham, emphasized the urgent need for targeted interventions aimed specifically at protecting young women. She urged the public to stop letting their guard down and to consistently practice safer sex, including condom use, to help halt the spread of the virus.