Men living with HIV are transmitting the virus to their female partners at more than three times the rate at which women pass it on to men, according to the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC). Presenting 2023 data, the commission reported that the male‑to‑female transmission index stands at 9.73 per cent, compared with 2.96 per cent for female‑to‑male transmission, while the national average is 5.31 per cent.
The figures indicate that for every 100 men living with HIV, infections arising are more than three times higher than among women, with the commission stressing that male transmission poses a greater risk.
Dr. Fred Nana Poku, Director of Technical Services at the GAC, disclosed the statistics last Tuesday during a capacity‑building programme for media professionals. The event, organised by the GAC with support from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), aimed to provide participants with updated insights into Ghana’s HIV epidemic, emerging policy issues, and effective strategies for HIV reporting and advocacy.
Infection
Dr. Poku explained that more women are being infected with HIV than men due to biological and physiological factors that increase their susceptibility to the disease. “The first point we want to emphasize is that 80 percent of all HIV cases are transmitted sexually. During sexual intercourse, women are biologically more vulnerable because of the structure of their external genitalia, particularly the vagina. The vagina acts as a receptacle; when sperm is deposited, its anatomy allows it to receive all the sperm, along with any associated viruses. Therefore, there is no escape route for the virus.
In contrast, for men, infection generally requires urinary tract infections or other mucosal connections to facilitate transmission,” he explained. Additionally, he noted that women tend to have better health-seeking behaviors than men, leading them to get tested more frequently. He indicated that these statistics imply that the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) should not focus its interventions solely on women, but also include men in their efforts.
Data
Data from the recently released 2025 National HIV Estimates revealed that new HIV infections recorded in 2025 was 13,951, with 5,051 representing 36.2 per cent recorded in males, while females accounted for 8,900, representing 63.8 per cent. About 38 new HIV infections were recorded a day in 2025 in both adults and children.
As of 2025, 337,435 people were living with HIV in Ghana, with 115,728 representing 34.3 per cent being males, while for females, it was 221,707 representing 65.7 per cent. At least 12,051 AIDS-related deaths were recorded, with females constituting the majority with 6,115 deaths and males accounting for 5,936 deaths.
Targets
Dr Poku said the commission had set targets to reduce new HIV infections to fewer than 2,200 by the end of 2030, ensure that key populations received adequate services, and achieve 80 per cent comprehensive knowledge of HIV among the general population, among other efforts.
Additionally, he said the commission would concentrate on condom programming, which would include deploying condom vending machines, creating demand for condoms and making condoms available.
He mentioned other priority interventions of the commission to include expanding access to biomedical prevention tools such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and ensuring that the right channels and digital platforms were available to people.
Capacity-building
The Director-General of the GAC, Dr Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, said the capacity-building was an opportunity for the commission to renew and strengthen its partnership with the media and the AHF.
He said over the years, media stories, discussions, interviews and features had helped to increase awareness of HIV prevention and encouraged people to know their status, promoted treatment adherence and challenged stigma and discrimination.
“Every headline you write, every radio discussion you moderate, every television interview you conduct, every social media post you publish has the potential to influence behaviours, shape perceptions and ultimately save lives. We, therefore, count on you to be our ambassadors for accurate information, champions against misinformation and disinformation and advocates for evidence-based public health communication,” he said.
The Country Programme Manager of the AHF, Dr Ekua E. Houphouët, said one of the greatest barriers to ending AIDS was not the virus itself, but stigma, adding that how HIV was reported on various media platforms could contribute to stigma and discrimination or help to create an environment of understanding, dignity and hope.
“Fear of being judged, blamed, shamed or exposed continues to prevent many people from seeking HIV prevention services, testing, accessing treatment and openly seeking care for their health.
As journalists, you have the unique opportunity to change this narrative. You can help the public to understand that HIV is a manageable chronic condition. You can highlight that people living with HIV can live long, healthy and productive lives when they have access to treatment,” she advised.
Source: Augustina Tawiah
