Prevention remains the most effective and sustainable way to end HIV – GHS Director -General

Prevention remains the most effective and sustainable way to end HIV – GHS Director -General

Despite a significant effort made in Ghana’s response to HIV/STIs in the country, stakeholders at a research dialogue on the disease believe there is need to scale up evidence-based interventions, increase funding for research and strengthen community-led initiatives.

Last year, Ghana celebrated key achievements in 20 years since the introduction of the Anti-retroviral therapy into the country highlighting the increase in the life expectancy of persons living with HIV while mother to child transmission has decreased.

But despite these significant feats, there are concerns some persons are not religiously taking their ART while others living with the infection are not yet on the ART.

All these has informed the critical need for sustained efforts to advance research, expand preventive measures, and reawaken awareness.

At a research dialogue to look at what has been done, celebrate the success and forge forward, the keynote speaker, Dr Patrick Kuma –Aboagye emphasized the need to prioritize preventives as the pillar of the country’s strategies.

“Prevention remains the most effective and sustainable way to end this pandemic. As a country, we must invest in high-impact prevention strategies, from pre-exposure prophylaxis to increased access to condoms and safe sex education. Prevention, however, is critical, and sustainable prevention includes community education and empowerment, Dr Kuma – Aboagye said.

He added that, “We must make it a collective responsibility to protect the young generation from the risk of infection. For this, I urge our partners and stakeholders and government agencies to not only continue their support, but also expand investment in innovative preventive strategies. Let us also unite our awareness and re-energize our communities.”

According to him, “Over time, the visibility of HIV awareness has diminished, and complacency has crept in, and the fight against HIV demands we renew energy and vigilance. This dialogue series is an essential platform for reawakening public awareness and mobilizing communities to eliminate stigma and misinformation. It is also time for a national movement, one that encourages every Ghanaian to be vigilant, informed, and active in their fight against HIV.”

He also noted that plans are underway to establish two new research centers in Western North and the Savannah regions to boost the number of research centers in country.

“Ladies and gentlemen, finally, we need more research. And we need it now. Research drives innovation, and innovation will drive the path towards the end of the epidemic. We must be relentless in exploring new and better ways to prevent, treat, and ultimately eradicate HIV in Ghana. This means that we have to strengthen our research infrastructure. And I must say, Ghana has been working towards establishing two new centers in Western North and Savannah to boost the number of research centers we have,” Dr Kuma-Aboagye said.

“We must also support our researchers and invest in studies that will answer our most pressing questions. In particular, we must focus on locally driven research to ensure that our approaches are tailored to our specific context and the needs of our people,” he suggested.

The Programmes Manager for the National AIDS and STI Control Programme, Dr Ayisi Addo is concerned that stigma and discrimination persist against persons living with the disease.

‘‘Education must be intensified and awareness created. Why are people being discriminated against still? We need to know what the concerns are from the people wo have refused to be on the ART. So the research is very important to the country’s response that’s why we are here. Let’s look at our successes, what we have done and where we need to expand research. Funding is also another problem we need to look at,” he said.

Ghana recorded over 17,000 new HIV infections in 2023 according to the Ghana AIDS Commission.

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