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Over 52% of HIV Patients in Ghana Not on Treatment — Over 280,000 at Risk, Says AIDS Commission
More than 280,000 people living with HIV in Ghana — representing 52.6% of the total HIV-positive population — are currently not receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), the Ghana AIDS Commission has revealed in its 2024 National and Sub-National HIV Estimates and Projections report.
Out of an estimated 619,000 people living with HIV nationwide, only 334,721 individuals (47.4%) are enrolled on life-saving ART treatment. The commission has described this wide treatment gap as “alarming” and warned that it poses a serious threat to the country’s goal of controlling the epidemic and preventing AIDS-related deaths.
The data was made public during a high-level press briefing in Accra on Thursday, July 4, 2025, where health officials, development partners, and stakeholders met to assess Ghana’s response to the HIV/AIDS crisis.
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In 2024 alone, Ghana recorded 15,290 new HIV infections and 12,614 AIDS-related deaths. However, the Commission estimates that 12,358 deaths were prevented through access to ART — a clear indication of the life-saving power of consistent treatment.
Isaiah Doe Kwao, Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Commission, explained that while some progress has been made, Ghana remains far from achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 global targets:
- 95% of people with HIV should know their status,
- 95% of those diagnosed should be on treatment.
- and 95% of those on treatment should achieve viral suppression.
Kwao said Ghana’s current figures fall short across the board, especially on treatment coverage, calling for an urgent nationwide strategy to improve ART uptake and reduce stigma.
The report highlights a sharp gender disparity in new infections:
- Women and girls accounted for 68.5% (10,303) of the new infections.
- Men and boys represented 32.6% (4,987).
- Children under 15 accounted for 5.4% (1,243) of the new cases.
While Ghana has achieved 99.3% coverage in preventing mother-to-child transmission, the Commission stressed the need for improved follow-up and paediatric treatment services to ensure children born to HIV-positive mothers remain HIV-free.
Region New HIV Infections Greater Accra 3,436 Ashanti 2,997 Eastern 2,019 Central 1,140 Western 1,120 Bono 875 Volta 809 Bono East 649 Western North 478 Ahafo 350 Upper East 345 Northern 318 Upper West 292 Oti 222 Savannah 143 North East 97
The top five regions with the highest new infection rates remain Greater Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, Central, and Western.
Deputy Chief of Staff Nana Oye Bampoe Addo described the situation as unacceptable and blamed factors such as misinformation, stigma, economic hardship, and recent donor funding cuts, including the suspension of USAID support, for slowing down progress.
“Every HIV-positive person who is not on treatment is one step closer to advanced illness or death. That is a national emergency,” she said, urging stakeholders to turn these numbers into urgent, coordinated action.
She added that the government remains committed to:
- Sustained domestic financing,
- Integrating HIV treatment into broader health systems,
- And leveraging data-driven strategies to enhance outreach and service delivery.
Ghana will host the 2025 International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), and the Commission says the event presents a timely opportunity to renew national and continental commitments to ending AIDS as a public health threat.
“The data must push us to act,” Bampoe Addo stressed. “This is not just a health issue — it’s a matter of life and death for over half of the HIV-positive population in Ghana. We cannot afford inaction.”
The Ghana AIDS Commission is calling on all actors — from community-based organisations and media to development partners and local authorities — to intensify education, testing, and treatment access as part of a national drive to close the gap and save lives.
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