By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) has renewed calls on government to urgently resource the National HIV and AIDS Fund, warning that shrinking donor support could undermine Ghana’s ability to reduce new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths.
According to data from the Ghana AIDS Commission, more than 15,000 new HIV infections and 12,000 AIDS-related deaths were recorded nationwide in 2024, figures GHANET says highlight the need for sustained domestic investment in HIV prevention, testing and treatment.
Speaking at an end-of-year safe sex campaign at Laboma Beach in Accra on January 1, 2026, the President of GHANET, Mr. Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin, said Ghana could no longer depend largely on external funding to sustain its HIV response.
“The National HIV and AIDS Fund was established in 2016, but as we speak, the fund is still empty. We are largely relying on global funds, yet donors are scaling back. Government must step in with domestic resources,” he stated.
GHANET’s warning comes at a time when international health financing is declining, including reductions linked to the withdrawal of the United States from some global health commitments and the closure of several USAID-supported programmes. Mr. Ortsin cautioned that by 2030, donor funding for HIV and AIDS programmes could significantly reduce or end altogether, making domestic financing critical.
While acknowledging progress in reducing HIV prevalence from nearly three per cent in the early 2000s to about 1.4 per cent currently, Mr. Ortsin said Ghana still faced major challenges in meeting the global target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
“If we are serious about preventing new infections and deaths, we must invest now. Government funding is no longer optional; it is critical for Ghana’s HIV response,” he stressed.
As part of the festive season awareness drive, GHANET intensified public education on HIV prevention, consistent condom use and regular testing. The organisation distributed free condoms and HIV self-test kits to promote safer sexual practices, particularly during the end-of-year period when social activities increase.Mr. Ortsin said that since the 2025 end-of-year campaign began on December 26, GHANET had distributed more than 600 HIV self-test kits, with about 60 per cent taken home for private testing and 40 per cent administered on-site at the request of beneficiaries. He added that over 500 people who tested positive since the campaign began had been linked to treatment.
He explained that the end-of-year safe sex campaign, introduced last year, targets periods of heightened social interaction when people are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviours.
GHANET has also been promoting the use of HIV self-test kits since 2023 to allow individuals to test discreetly at home and seek confirmatory testing when results are reactive.
Mr. Ortsin cautioned against assumptions based on physical appearance or familiarity, noting that unprotected sex without prior testing remained extremely risky.
“Don’t look at someone’s face, physique or appearance and assume they are HIV negative. Before engaging in unprotected sex, it is always advisable to know your partner’s status,” he said, encouraging the public to embrace HIV self-testing.
National data from the Ghana Health Service shows that knowledge of condoms as a method of preventing HIV is relatively high, with about 79 per cent of women and 86 per cent of men aware that condom use reduces HIV risk.
However, condom use during last sexual intercourse among people with multiple partners remains low, with only about 12 per cent of women and 18 per cent of men aged 15–49 reporting condom use.
Awareness and uptake of HIV self-testing also remain limited. Studies indicate that less than one-fifth of sexually active young women are aware of HIV self-test kits, and fewer than 10 per cent have ever used one, underscoring the need for intensified education.
Beneficiaries of the Laboma Beach campaign described the initiative as timely and encouraged more people to take advantage of free testing and self-testing options to know their status.
GHANET says it will continue community-based sensitisation, education and advocacy as part of efforts to support Ghana’s fight against HIV and AIDS.
