Ghana at risk of HIV by persons who inject drugs – UG Prof. reveals

Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Ghana, Prof. Kwasi Torpey, has revealed that Ghana is at risk of HIV and blood-borne infections by persons who inject drugs.

According to research Prof. Torpey conducted in four regions in the country by a team of researchers in 2022, it was ascertained that HIV prevalence is 2.5 percent among persons who used and injected drugs.

In an inaugural lecture organized in honor of Prof. Torpey by the University of Ghana under the theme:” Ending HIV/AIDS in Africa: Reflections from the clinic, field, and classroom,” he brought his findings to light.


“We found HIV prevalence of 2.5 percent among persons who used and injected drugs. Unfortunately, the prevalence was 12.7 percent among women who injected drugs and 17.7 percent among women who injected drugs and were also sex workers.

“These results point to a simple fact that the country is at the cusp of an outbreak of HIV and blood-borne infections among persons who inject drugs,” he said according to Graphic.com.gh.

Prof. Torpey further intimated that ending AIDS in Africa will be a pipe dream if there are no intentional efforts to enhance access of all populations to health services.

“UNAIDS updates in 2023 estimate that a life is lost every minute due to HIV. This is equivalent to 650,000 HIV-related deaths. In addition, there are 4,000 new infections daily. Every week, 4,000 adolescent girls and young women get infected. About 84,000 children died of HIV last year.

“As an HIV physician, I can confidently say without equivocation that ending AIDS in Africa will be a pipe dream if we do not make deliberate and intentioned efforts to improve access of all populations to health services, a public health imperative,” Graphic.com.gh quoted him as having said.

The Inaugural lecture was attended by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo; the Director-General of Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye; the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Elsie Addo-Awadzi, and a former Vice-Chancellor of the UG, Prof. Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe.

Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), USAID, the Society for AIDS in Africa, the Ghana Aids Commission, and the Ministry of Health.

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BS/WA

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