HIV prevalence rate drops to 2.7 per cent

Accra, April 20, GNA - Ghana's HIV prevalence rate has dropped from 3.1 per cent in 2004 to 2.7 per cent for 2005, Sentinel Surveillance report has indicated.

This represents 13 per cent decrease in the prevalence rate from 2004 and 20 per cent from the 2003 prevalence rate. Speaking at a day's dissemination workshop on the report of the survey, Dr Nii Akwei Addo, Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), said the decline observed was the beginning of stabilisation of the epidemic after st eadily rising for five years and reaching a peak of 3.6 per cent.

The survey, the 14th to be conducted by NACP since the first reported case in 1986 in 40-selected sentinel sites strategically located in 35 districts across the country was to monitor the HIV epidemic, provide current prevalence data for planning, monitoring, evaluation of HIV/AIDS prevention and care activities. It was also to monitor the trends in HIV and syphilis prevalence among antenatal care and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) clients at sentinel sites, estimate and project HIV prevalence, review and to set priorities for intervention programmes.

Dr Akwei Addo noted that Ghanaians should not rejoice over the fact that the prevalence rate had dropped and added that the highest prevalence recorded in the age group of 44 years to 45 years was above five per cent, which is the threshold and from 25years to 29 years hinting 3.6 per cent.

Out of the 991 positive specimens screened, 501 representing 51 per cent were true positive, 361 representing 36 per cent were false positives and 129 representing 13 per cent were indeterminate ones. The sentinel population for both syphilis and HIV were pregnant women attending antenatal clinics and male and females seeking treatment for STIs.

There was a decline in the infection rate among the 15 years to 24 years age group for three continuous years from 3.5 per cent in 2002 to 1.9 per cent in 2005.

The Northern Region had the lowest rate of 1.2 per cent; Eastern, 4.7 per cent; Ashanti, 3.0 and Greater Accra had 2.1 per cent. Koforidua had the highest of 6.4 per cent and North Tongu with the lowest of zero per cent.

The report indicated that the HIV I was the predominant type of HIV accounted for 94.8 per cent and dual infection with HIV1 and 2 accounted for 4.8 per cent.

Dr Akwei Addo said syphilis recorded a prevalence rate of 5.9 per cent with the Central Region recording the highest with 19 per cent. Asikuma Odoben Brawkwa in the Central region recorded the highest of 24 per cent with lowest of 1.4 per cent recorded in Upper East Region.

He said rural sites continued to show a higher prevalence in syphilis than those in the urban and rural sites and the Central Region continued to dominate syphilis infection with huge gap between them and other regions.

"The highest prevalence was in the 40years to 44 years group with prevalence of 8.6 per cent and the lowest prevalence in 45years 49 years age group recording 3.8 per cent".

Dr Akwei Addo noted that the decline indicated that Ghana had reached a stage of stabilisation and would present the opportunity to test the strength of the current trend this year. He said managing a stabilised situation required targeted messages to different age groups and different geographical areas and sub-populations and called for an urgent comprehensive approach to address the problem.

"This also require that we get new information, education and communication messages and materials be developed to reflect the new strategies in the service, social and entertainment sectors", he said. He called on stakeholders to use the information in the report to individually and collectively accelerate and expand efforts aimed at the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in the country. "A window of opportunity has opened and now is the time to forge forward effectively using our best practices and resources." 20 April 06