76% of men don't know their HIV status – GSS Report

A survey by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) on the health and demographic situation of the country has exposed worrying trends about the level of knowledge and protection among men aged 15 to 49 regarding HIV.

The data from the survey shows that 76 per cent of men in this age range do not know their HIV status.

Moreover, only 28% said they used condoms when having sex with partners they do not live with.

On the other hand, women in the same age group showed higher levels of awareness, with about 54% getting tested for HIV, and 11% using condoms when engaging in sexual activities with non-cohabiting partners.

The Acting Director of Demography at the Ghana Statistical Service, Godwin Odei Gyebi, in a citinewroom.com report, stressed the need for men to be more active in knowing their HIV status.

“11 percent of women said that they use a condom and 28 percent of men said the same. People who have tested for HIV and got their results are 54 percent for women and 24 percent for men. Men are not doing as well as women. In the last 12 months, 15 percent of women and 7 percent of men have tested for HIV and have their results.”

The Statistical Service also discovered that almost 80 percent of Ghanaians have negative attitudes towards people living with HIV.

“74 percent of those women who said that they have heard of HIV will not buy from a shopkeeper who is HIV positive and 65 percent of men said that they will also not buy fresh vegetables from HIV positives.”

NW/OGB
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