Accra: Public Health experts have emphasised that empowering adolescent girls and young women with the right knowledge and tools to make informed health decisions is crucial to reducing new HIV infections and curbing Ghana’s epidemic. Dr. Emmanuel Teviu, Programme Manager of the National HIV and STI Control Programme, highlighted that the 2024 HIV national estimates recorded over 15,000 new HIV infections, with the majority occurring among adolescent girls and young women. This underscores the need for interventions to curb the epidemic and efforts to end Ghana’s HIV crisis.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Teviu shared these insights during an interview on the sidelines of a three-day workshop organized by Hope for Future Generations (HFFG) in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), the Ghana Education Service (GES), and partners. He emphasized that adolescents are the largest drivers of the HIV epidemic in Ghana and that empowering them with accurate information on sexual and reproductive health is critical to preventing further infections.
The workshop, part of the Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) Project by HFFG, gathered health professionals, media practitioners, and civil society organizations to design gender-sensitive communication messages promoting HIV prevention, stigma reduction, and youth empowerment. The three-year initiative targets adolescent girls and young women, aged 15 to 24, in both in-school and out-of-school populations across seven districts, including parts of Greater Accra, Kumasi, and the Eastern Region, with the goal of reducing new infections through education, advocacy, and community engagement.
Dr. Teviu commended HFFG for implementing a comprehensive strategy that not only educates young women but also supports HIV testing, early diagnosis, and linkage to care. ‘It’s not only about empowering them, it is also about screening them, identifying those who are positive, and putting them on treatment. This approach helps to reduce viral load and prevents further transmission,’ he stated. The Programme Manager stressed that empowering young women to adopt responsible sexual behavior could significantly reduce new infections and strengthen Ghana’s overall HIV response.
According to the Ghana AIDS Commission’s 2024 National and Sub-National HIV Estimates, an average of 42 new HIV infections are recorded daily among adults and children, highlighting the urgency of scaling up preventive interventions. Dr. Teviu noted that stigma remains a significant barrier to effective HIV control, saying, ‘Stigma kills faster than the disease itself, there is self-stigma among those infected, and societal stigma from the community. That’s why counseling is such a powerful tool; it helps people cope, disclose responsibly, and continue treatment without fear.’
He added that well-trained counselors play a critical role in helping individuals make informed decisions while safeguarding their privacy and dignity. Dr. Teviu clarified that while men are not being neglected, adolescent girls are currently at higher risk. Therefore, using young women as entry points to reach their male partners is necessary. ‘It takes two people to get infected, so by empowering one group, we ultimately reach both,’ he stressed.
Dr. Teviu called for collective action from all sectors, including health, education, and the media, to ensure that young people are equipped with accurate information and support to make informed life choices. ‘The fight against HIV is not over. By empowering our young women and addressing stigma, we can save lives, protect families, and strengthen our nation’s public health,’ he added.