Your personal guide to understanding HIV
BINEY AMA had always been careful with her health, but after her last relationship ended, she found herself hesitant to start dating again. She worried that if she became intimate with a new partner, she might transmit HIV, even though she did not know her own status.
The thought of getting pregnant again filled her with fear because she believed she could pass HIV to her child. Like many others, Ama was unaware that modern medicine has transformed the lives of people living with HIV.
Today, with proper testing and treatment, a person living with HIV who maintains an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the virus to a sexual partner. Effective treatment during pregnancy can prevent mother-to-child transmission, and living with HIV does not mean infertility or the end of healthy pregnancies. Ama’s story highlights why understanding HIV is so important.
Q: Who should get tested for HIV?
Anyone who has had unprotected sex with a partner whose HIV status is unknown should consider testing. This includes those who share needles or syringes.
Pregnant women are encouraged to test to protect both themselves and their unborn child, since HIV can be transmitted during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.
Testing is also recommended for anyone entering a new sexual relationship or who thinks they may have been exposed. In Ghana, HIV testing is widely available in public health facilities and is often free or low-cost under national HIV programmes.
Q: If I test positive, does that mean I will always be sick or get AIDS?
A positive HIV test does not mean illness or AIDS is inevitable. It is not a death sentence.
With antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV can lead long, healthy lives. Early initiation of ART and consistent adherence suppresses the virus, protects the immune system, reduces the risk of illness and prevents sexual transmission.
HIV is no longer a life sentence. Treatment allows you to live fully while staying healthy.
Q: What does ‘U = U’ mean?
“U = U” stands for “Undetectable = Untransmittable.”
This means that when a person on ART maintains a consistently undetectable viral load, they cannot transmit HIV sexually. This breakthrough protects both the individual and their partner.
Regular medical follow-ups are essential to maintain viral suppression, and other transmission routes — such as needle sharing or mother-to-child transmission without prophylaxis — still require caution.
Q: So, is HIV still a big problem globally? And in Ghana?
Globally, as of 2024:
- 40.8 million people were living with HIV.
- 1.3 million new infections occurred.
- 630,000 AIDS-related deaths were recorded.
In Ghana (2024):
- About 334,721 people are living with HIV.
- 15,290 new infections were recorded — roughly 42 new infections per day.
HIV remains a serious public health challenge both globally and nationally.
Q: Which parts of Ghana are most affected?
The Greater Accra Region has the highest number of people living with HIV (77,800+), followed by the Ashanti and Eastern Regions.
Less densely populated regions, such as the North East Region, have fewer infections (about 1,717). While urban areas show higher prevalence, HIV remains a nationwide concern.
Q: Does HIV infection have seasons or times of year when it increases or decreases?
Currently, there is no evidence of seasonal patterns in HIV infections in Ghana.
Transmission is driven by behaviours — including unprotected sex, needle sharing and underutilisation of testing — rather than weather or time of year.
Q: If a person is on treatment and their viral load is undetectable, can they still infect someone sexually?
When consistently undetectable on ART, sexual transmission is effectively zero.
Maintaining viral suppression requires regular medical monitoring and strict adherence to treatment. Other transmission routes, such as needle sharing, unsafe blood transfusions or mother-to-child transmission without prophylaxis, still require attention.
Q: Why does HIV still keep spreading if we have good treatment and prevention methods?
HIV continues to spread because many people are unaware of their status.
Even among diagnosed individuals, treatment dropouts, drug stock-outs, stigma and access barriers can prevent consistent ART use. Risky behaviours, such as unprotected sex or multiple partners, persist.
Urban-rural inequalities, gender disparities and socio-economic factors also contribute to ongoing transmission.
Q: Does HIV mean I cannot have children or have a healthy pregnancy?
Living with HIV does not prevent healthy pregnancies.
Early testing, proper ART and medical monitoring can prevent mother-to-child transmission. Women living with HIV who follow their treatment plans can have healthy babies and enjoy family life.
HIV is not an infertility sentence, and knowing your status empowers women to make informed reproductive choices.
Q: Why is testing and early treatment important, even if you feel healthy now?
HIV can remain silent for years, yet damage the immune system.
Early ART preserves health, supports near-normal life expectancy and prevents transmission through U = U. For pregnant women, early testing protects the unborn child.
Testing and early treatment allow individuals to take control of their health and prevent further spread of HIV.
Key Takeaways
- Test regularly if sexually active, pregnant or at risk.
- ART works: People living with HIV can stay healthy for decades.
- U = U: If undetectable, HIV is not sexually transmittable.
- Globally, 40.8 million people live with HIV, with 1.3 million new infections in 2024.
- In Ghana, about 334,700 people live with HIV, with roughly 15,290 new infections annually.
- High-burden regions include Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern Regions.
Testing, early treatment, adherence and safer behaviours remain the most effective ways to protect yourself and your loved ones.
The writer is a global health advocate and youth educator.