Sex Workers contributions to new HIV infections in Ghana has scaled down to about 18.5% in 2014 from 31.1% rate recorded in 2009, the Ghana AIDS Commission has disclosed.
This clearly suggests intervention programs targeting Sex Workers as part of national AIDS control strategies has paid off.
However, the Commission is concerned about the fact that prevalence among the youth is very high due to ‘risky behaviours’ such as unprotected sex. There is also low knowledge of the youth about the infection.
Speaking on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM on Monday, the Acting Director of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Steve Kyeremeh Atuahene encouraged the youth to check their lifestyles and also go for voluntary testing to know their HIV status.
He revealed:” Data shows clearly that there is inter-generational sex going up as a result of Poverty and other factors. Male and females who engage in casual sex, and those who are in long term relationship,contributed about 58.9% of all new infections in Ghana.
According to him, for the country to drive the new infection down, there ought to be conscious efforts by all stakeholders to bring to scale sustained and more strategic investment in HIV/AIDS, high political commitment and leadership as well as very active community-based intervention among others.