Persons living with HIV in Ghana are being urged to remain on antiretroviral treatment to suppress the virus and live long, healthy lives. The Ghana AIDS Commission has reiterated that there is still no cure for HIV, and that antiretroviral therapy is critical to preventing HIV-related deaths.
Despite the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy, Ghana's treatment coverage remains low, with only 57 per cent of the estimated 337,435 persons living with HIV currently on treatment.
The Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, attributes the low coverage to self-denial, stigma, and discrimination, as well as people discontinuing treatment when they begin to feel healthy or resorting to prayer and herbal remedies.
Dr Akanbong notes that more than 13,000 deaths were averted through antiretroviral treatment in 2025 alone, highlighting the importance of consistent treatment. He emphasizes that modern HIV treatment has become more convenient, with some patients able to take a single combination tablet daily, making adherence easier.
Dr Akanbong urges persons living with HIV to regard antiretroviral treatment in the same way as medicines used to manage chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. He notes that just as hypertensive and diabetic patients take their tablets daily, HIV patients can also take a single tablet daily to manage their condition.
The Ghana AIDS Commission plans to make antiretroviral drugs more accessible through designated pharmacies and other accredited facilities, enabling patients to obtain their medicines more discreetly.
The commission also plans to expand access to HIV prevention interventions, including pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis, as well as strengthen condom services to reduce new HIV infections.
Dr Akanbong encourages Ghanaians to make HIV testing part of their routine health checks and urges people living with HIV not to discontinue treatment simply because they feel healthy, stressing that the absence of symptoms does not mean the virus has been cured.
The Country Director of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Ghana, Dr Ekua Houphouet, underscores the importance of responsible media reporting in advancing the country's HIV response, noting that it can encourage people to test, promote health-seeking behaviour, and support treatment adherence.
Dr Akanbong offers a message of hope, stating that there is hope in antiretroviral treatment, hope for a long life, and hope to live healthy and live a fulfilling life.
As the Ghana AIDS Commission continues to work towards increasing treatment coverage and reducing new HIV infections, it is clear that there is still much work to be done to address the challenges facing Ghana's HIV response.
With the commission's plans to expand access to HIV prevention interventions and make antiretroviral drugs more accessible, there is a glimmer of hope for a future where HIV is no longer a major public health concern in Ghana.
