Health officials in Ghana's Ashanti Region have reported a mixed picture in the fight against HIV, with fewer new infections but an unchanged prevalence rate. According to the 2025 National and Sub-National HIV and AIDS Estimates and Projections, new HIV infections in the region dropped from nearly 3,000 to about 2,800 over the past year. The overall prevalence rate held firm at 1.59%. The figures were shared at a stakeholder forum in Kumasi convened to disseminate the latest regional HIV and AIDS estimates.
The stakeholder forum, attended by roughly 25 stakeholders, brought together health workers and other officials to review the data and chart a path forward for the region's HIV response. Olivia Graham, Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), told the forum that the decline in new infections was encouraging. However, she called for sustained efforts to prevent further transmission and ensure that people already living with HIV receive proper treatment.
Graham urged residents to test regularly so they can know their HIV status early, stressing that timely diagnosis allows people to begin treatment sooner. She explained that starting treatment early not only helps individuals stay healthy but also reduces the risk of sexually transmitting the virus to others. Graham also flagged stigma as one of the persistent obstacles standing in the way of progress against HIV and AIDS in the region.
The district-level breakdown in the estimates shows how unevenly the burden is spread across the Ashanti Region. Asokwa recorded the highest prevalence at 3.25%, followed by Juaben at 2.95%, Offinso at 2.68%, and Asante Akim North at 2.62%. Kumasi itself recorded the highest absolute number of people living with HIV among the districts listed, at 7,534, with a prevalence rate of 1.94%.
For ordinary Ghanaians in the Ashanti Region, the stagnant prevalence rate means the virus remains present at roughly the same level in the population even as fewer new cases emerge each year. Health officials suggest that prevention gains could easily stall without continued vigilance. Graham also pointed to the need for continued attention on children living with HIV, noting that the estimates cover children aged zero to 14 years.
The GAC official urged stakeholders to intensify education, testing, treatment, and anti-stigma interventions to consolidate the gains already made in reducing new infections across the region. The 2025 estimates, which provide district-level figures on people living with HIV, new infections, people on antiretroviral therapy, and prevalence rates across the Ashanti Region, are expected to guide the ongoing regional response.
The sources reviewed do not specify any further scheduled events, deadlines, or targets beyond this call for continued action. No timeline for closing the gap on the prevalence rate has been given. The Ghana News Agency (GNA) reported on the forum, which was attended by stakeholders from the Ashanti Region.
Key points
- New HIV infections in Ashanti Region dropped by nearly 200 over the past year.
- The overall prevalence rate in Ashanti Region remains unchanged at 1.59%.
- Health officials urge sustained efforts to prevent further transmission and ensure people living with HIV receive proper treatment.
