SHIP SEA FREIGHT TO GHANA, WEEKLY..... FROM ANYPOINT USA ---  STARTING $89.99 MINIMUM PER 30 GALLON BARREL...CALL POST EXPRESS ...240-450-3340...    OR VISIT WWW.POSTEXPRESSWORLDWIDE.COM 
 


Health Library

Allergies
Aging
Cancer
Diabetes
Exercise
Heart health
Infectious diseases
Nutrition
Stroke

HIV prevalence declines from 2.22 cent to 1.9 percent in Ghana

Accra, Feb. 21, Ghanadot/GNA - Ghana’s HIV prevalence for 2007 has decline from 2.22 per cent in 2006 to 1.9 percent this year, indicating a stabilizing condition, Dr Nii Akwei Addo Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) said on Thursday.


He said the highest prevalence among the 15 to 24 year group was recorded in the Eastern Regional town of Agomanya and Asikuma Odoben Brakwa in the Central Region which recorded 6.2 percent respectively.


Agomanya also recorded the overall highest prevalence with 8.9 percent from 8.4 percent in 2006 with Krachi rural in the Northern Volta recording the lowest of 0.3 per cent.


Regionally, Eastern Region recorded the highest of 4.2 percent, Ashanti 3.8, Greater Accra 3.4 percent, Brong Ahafo 3.3 percent, Upper West 3.3 percent, Western, 3.2 percent, Central 2.9 percent, Upper East 2.5, Volta 2.0 and Northern Region 1.7 percent.


Presenting the findings of the HIV Sentinel Survey conducted in 40 sentinel sites strategically located in 17 rural sites, 23 urban sites and 69 antenatal clinics, Dr Addo said the age group prevalence showed two peaks among 25 to 29 years and 35 to 39 years.


He said there were an estimated number of 264,481 persons living with HIV and AIDS 10,666 of whom were males and 153,815 females. In all 180,899 cumulative AIDS deaths have been recorded.


Dr. Addo explained that HIV was more prevalent in the urban areas, recording an estimated 2.25 percent and lower in rural communities where 1.66 percent was recorded.


He explained that four of the 40 sites Agomanya, Wa, Fanteakwa and Obuasi recorded prevalence above five percent as it was in 2006. Agomanya recorded 8.9 per cent, Wa recorded 5.8, Fanteakwa recorded 5.8 per cent whilst Obuasi recorded 5.0 per cent describing the figure for Wa as “very worrying for which attention must be given”.


In all, 16, 947 children have been infected with HIV with 2,959 annual HIV positive births. For new infection in adults, a total of 21,310 people were infected, while 2,959 children were newly infected.


Dr Addo noted that there were 81, 409 adults from 15 years up who needed the Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) and 5, 106 children also on ART and regretted that “not much had been done for children who needed to be on ART””.


Projecting from 2007 to 2012, Dr Addo said the number of persons living with HIV and AIDS would increase from 264, 481 to 296,088 whilst cumulative deaths would also increase from 180,899 in 2007 to 266, 933 by 2012.


He commended health workers, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service and other donor partners, including the WHO and DFID for their technical and financial support in ensuring that the HIV prevalence of the country was reduced to its barest minimum and called for more support since “this is the period that we need you most to be more successful”.


Professor Sakyi Awuku Amoa, Director-General of GAC called for the need to intensify activities for the youth and alert them that HIV had no cure therefore, they needed to protect themselves.


“They must know that there is more to it, that the risk is still there and there is more life ahead of them and therefore they must not rush to get infected”, he added.


He attributed the success to the interventions including the 99 per cent awareness creation, introduction of Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) services, which allowed people to know their status.


“The introduction of the mobile VCT had also played a major role because people did not have walk to the hospital but it was brought your doorsteps”.


Professor Fred T. Sai, Presidential Advisor on HIV and AIDS, Reproductive Health and Population chaired the ceremony and reiterated the need to intensify efforts in ensuring that the youth were protected.


GNA


 


 

Google
 
Web www.ghanadot.com


 


 
....More on HEALTH

Annan hails Kenya talks progress

Feb 21, BBC - Ex-UN chief Kofi Annan has announced considerable progress in talks between Kenya's government and opposition aimed at ending the political crisis. .
.....More

  Farewell President Bush

Accra, Feb. 21, Ghanadot/GNA - After two days stay in Ghana, US President George Bush left Accra on Thursday for Liberia on a trip will mark the end of his second trip to Africa. 
...More
   
CPP Parliamentary slots attracting more candidates than ever - Ndoum

Accra, Feb. 21, Ghanadot/GNA – Dr Kwesi Ndoum, flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), on Thursday told journalists that there is a rush across the county to be the..

..More

 
  NAGRAT  to reject 10% pay increase if offered

Accra, Feb. 21, Ghanadot/GNA - The Greater Accra Regional Branch of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) on Thursday appealed to government to implement the proposed Universal Salary Structure as soon as possible since life was unbearable for majority of public workers ....
..More
   
  ABC, Australia
FOXNews.com
The EastAfrican, Kenya
African News Dimensions
Chicago Sun Times
The Economist
Reuters World
CNN.com - World News
All Africa Newswire
Google News
The Guardian, UK
Africa Daily
IRIN Africa
The UN News
Daily Telegraph, UK
Daily Nation, East Africa
BBC Africa News, UK
Legal Brief Africa
The Washington Post
BusinessInAfrica
Mail & Guardian, S. Africa
The Washington Times
ProfileAfrica.com
Voice of America
CBSnews.com
New York Times
Vanguard, Nigeria
Christian Science Monitor
News24.com
Yahoo/Agence France Presse
 
  SPONSORSHIP AD HERE  
 
    Announcements
Debate
Commentary
Ghanaian Paper
Health
Market Place
News
Official Sites
Pan-African Page
Personalities
Reviews
Social Scene
Sports
Travel
 
    Currency Converter
Educational Opportunities
Job Opening
FYI
 
 

ThisWeekGhana.com becomes
GhanaDot.com
October 1, 2006

Remember to spell the D-O-T
before the dot com

 
Send This Page To A Friend:

The Profile Africa Media Group