The Naana Kakie Foundation has called on the government to intensify HIV/AIDS education within Ghana’s basic school curriculum as part of a long-term national strategy to reduce new infections and strengthen preventive knowledge among the youth.

In a statement issued to mark World AIDS Day, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Esther Kakie Ayimavor, popularly known as Naana Kakie, emphasised the need for early and age-appropriate instruction on health, sexuality, and infection prevention from the preschool level.

She noted that early-childhood education forms a crucial foundation for informed decision-making, improved health awareness, and responsible behaviour later in life.

Integrating basic concepts on infection prevention and HIV awareness into kindergarten and lower primary school curricula, she said, would help children develop a clearer understanding of the disease, reduce stigma, and build confidence as they mature.

The Foundation expressed concern about emerging HIV statistics and the vulnerabilities faced by young people, especially in high-prevalence regions. Current data from the Ghana AIDS Commission and national surveillance indicate that the Greater Accra Region has the highest number of people living with HIV, estimated at 77,821.

This is followed by the Ashanti Region with 54,824 and the Eastern Region with 42,386.

Regarding prevalence among persons aged 15–49, the Bono Region leads with 2.22 per cent, followed by the Eastern Region at approximately 2.08 per cent and the Ahafo Region at about 1.88 per cent. The North East Region continues to record the lowest prevalence at 0.43 per cent.

Despite progress made in expanding treatment access and reducing AIDS-related deaths, the Foundation observed that prevention efforts among young people remain inadequate.

It therefore urged stronger collaboration between the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ghana AIDS Commission, and civil society organisations to ensure schools become frontline platforms for sustained HIV prevention education.

The Naana Kakie Foundation stressed that empowering children with accurate knowledge at an early age is vital to building a generation that is better equipped to protect itself and contribute to national efforts to end HIV/AIDS.