Ghana has recorded a notable decline in both new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, according to the 2025 National HIV Estimates and Projections released by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC).
The report shows that new HIV infections fell from 16,189 in 2024 to 13,951 in 2025. During the same period, AIDS-related deaths dropped from 13,429 to 12,051, representing an almost 14% reduction.
Speaking at the launch of the report in Accra on Monday, July 20, the Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the GAC, Isaiah Doe Kwao, credited the progress to continuous investment in HIV testing, treatment and care services across the country.
He said the latest figures show that Ghana’s response to HIV is producing positive results, but stressed that more work is needed to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
“Ghana’s HIV response is making progress, but we still have more work to do to reach epidemic control and ensure that no one is left behind,” Mr Kwao said.
The report estimates that 337,435 people are currently living with HIV in Ghana. Of this number, 315,513 are adults aged 15 years and above, while 21,922 are children under the age of 15.
It also revealed that 19,528 adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 are living with HIV. In addition, young people aged 15 to 24 account for 33,317 of the recorded cases.
At the launch, the Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kharmacelle Akanbong, emphasised that preventing new HIV infections remains central to the country’s strategy because every new case increases the demand for lifelong treatment and care.
He explained that although Ghana has made steady progress, the country must continue reducing new infections and AIDS-related deaths to achieve epidemic control.
“Epidemic control means new infections and AIDS deaths must continue to come down. There should ideally be no new infections, although that is difficult to achieve. The objective is to reduce them to the lowest possible level,” he said.
Dr Akanbong projected that, if prevention programmes, testing services and treatment continue to improve, new HIV infections could fall from 13,951 in 2025 to about 6,430 by 2030. He also expects AIDS-related deaths to decline from 12,051 to approximately 4,893 over the same period.
He further noted that HIV prevalence among adults aged 15 to 49 has steadily reduced from 1.79% in 2015 to 1.40% in 2025. The Commission projects the rate will drop further to 1.18% by 2030.
According to Dr Akanbong, wider access to antiretroviral treatment, earlier diagnosis and treatment, and better patient retention have contributed significantly to the decline.
Despite the progress, he warned that important challenges remain. These include identifying people who do not know their HIV status, expanding testing services and maintaining a reliable supply of life-saving medicines.
He called for stronger cooperation among government agencies, healthcare professionals, development partners and local communities to sustain the gains made so far and help Ghana achieve the global target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
