Most young women in Ghana are having unprotected s3x [raw s3x] even though they are aware that condoms help to reduce their risk of contracting HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). The 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), shows that the 80 per cent of the women are between the ages of 15 and 24.
According to the survey, this is regardless of the fact that 79 per cent of the young women are very aware that the consistent use of condoms is to their overall health benefit. This statistic is particularly alarming because available data show that women are contracting HIV more than men.
In August 2023, the Ghana AIDS Commission indicated that females accounted for two-thirds of total new HIV infections in Ghana. Out of the total 16,574 new HIV infections recorded in 2022, females accounted for 10,927 of the cases while males accounted for 5,647. This is according to the 2022 National and Sub-National HIV/AIDS estimates and projections.
By: Dickson Worlanyo Dotse
