Ghana recorded 13,951 new HIV infections in 2025, with women accounting for 8,900 cases, representing 63.8 per cent of the total, according to figures from the Ghana AIDS Commission.
The figures have renewed concerns about the country’s efforts to curb the spread of HIV, particularly as health authorities point to risky sexual practices and inconsistent condom use as factors contributing to new infections.
Greater Accra recorded the highest number of new infections, with 3,141 cases. The region also had the largest population of people living with HIV.
Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ghana AIDS Commission, Isaiah Doe Kwao, disclosed the figures at the 2026 HIV and AIDS Partnership Forum, where he called for stronger prevention measures, increased testing and treatment, as well as improved funding for the national response.
He said slightly more than 330,000 people were living with HIV across the country at the end of 2025, including more than 77,000 in Greater Accra.
According to Mr Kwao, population concentration and sexual behaviour patterns partly explain the high number of cases in major urban centres.
“This is important because in populations where there are more people, you realise that more people are engaging in heterosexual sex, which is the highest mode of transmission,” he said.
He stressed, however, that the focus should go beyond the statistics to identifying practical ways of preventing further infections.
“But the most important is what are we doing to reduce these numbers?” he asked.
Mr Kwao identified unprotected sex and having multiple sexual partners among the behaviours that increase the risk of HIV transmission.
He cited casual sexual encounters and relationships outside committed partnerships as some of the practices that could expose people to infection.
“For example, side chickism, hookups, and people having sex without using a condom. This is one of the most critical transmission modes to get HIV and AIDS,” he said.
He urged sexually active people to know their HIV status, use condoms consistently and make informed decisions to reduce their risk of infection.
“If you should go and test, if you test and you are negative, you live a non-risky life. You stick to your partner. It’s as simple as that. And be faithful to your partner,” he said.
Mr Kwao acknowledged that HIV can also be transmitted through other routes, including from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. However, he emphasised that preventing sexual transmission remained central to efforts to reduce new infections.
The Ghana AIDS Commission has warned that the country is not on course to achieve the global 95-95-95 HIV targets under its 2026–2030 National Strategic Plan.
The targets seek to ensure that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive sustained antiretroviral treatment, and 95 per cent of people on treatment achieve viral suppression.
Meeting these targets is considered essential to reducing HIV-related illness and deaths while limiting further transmission.
Mr Kwao said Ghana would need to intensify prevention campaigns, expand access to testing and ensure that people diagnosed with HIV can access and remain on treatment.
He noted that public education would also be important in addressing misconceptions about the virus and promoting safer sexual practices.
Beyond prevention and treatment, Mr Kwao identified inadequate funding as a major challenge to Ghana’s efforts to meet its HIV targets.
He said declining donor support was becoming a concern and called on the government to increase its contribution to the national HIV and AIDS response.
“But now donor fatigue is setting in. That is why we are encouraging government to increase its financing for the national HIV and AIDS response,” he said.
The Commission is advocating an increase in the portion of the District Assemblies Common Fund allocated to HIV and AIDS programmes to strengthen prevention and support services at the local level.
Mr Kwao said additional resources for district-level interventions would help direct assistance to communities where it is most needed.
The Commission is also seeking to strengthen the National HIV and AIDS Fund through additional contributions. He said the government could help engage private sector organisations to increase their support through corporate social responsibility initiatives.
“We are hoping with government support we can be able to engage the private sector so that they can contribute more to the fund through their social corporate responsibility,” he said.
He added that the Resource Mobilisation Committee of the Ghana AIDS Board was being encouraged to draw on its expertise to attract more funding and help close the financing gap.
Mr Kwao appealed to individuals to support the National HIV and AIDS Fund, stressing that contributions from the public could help sustain prevention and treatment programmes.
He said even small donations could make a difference in strengthening the country’s response.
“Your 1 cedi can go a long way to help the fund because HIV can affect not only you, but also your family,” he said.
Members of the public can contribute through the short code *9898#.
“You can also contribute if it’s 1 cedi, 10 cedis, 1 million. We accept so that we can raise funds to bridge the gap that we need to finance the HIV,” he added.
The Commission says stronger prevention efforts, wider access to testing and treatment, and sustainable financing will be necessary if Ghana is to make progress towards its national and international HIV targets.
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