Projections from the 2025 National HIV Estimates released by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) reveal that nearly one in three Ghanaians living with HIV remain unaware of their status. Of the estimated 334,721 people living with HIV in 2025, only 227,593—representing 68 percent—had been diagnosed.
Speaking at the dissemination of the Estimates in Accra on Monday, Dr. Kharmacelle Akanbong, Director-General of the GAC, described the low proportion of individuals who know their status as the weakest link in Ghana’s HIV response. He stressed that testing is the critical entry point in the continuum of care, as access to life-saving treatment depends on diagnosis.
While acknowledging the country’s progress in treatment and viral suppression, Dr. Akanbong emphasised the urgent need to expand voluntary testing if Ghana is to meet the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets by 2030.
“The targets require that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression, where the virus is reduced to undetectable levels,” he said.
Isaiah Doe Kwao, Director for Research Monitoring and Evaluation, GAC, who presented the report, said out of 227,593 people who know their HIV status, 156,821 are receiving ART, representing 69 per cent of those diagnosed. He said for those on treatment, 140,357 people had achieved viral suppression, accounting for 90 per cent of those receiving ART.
“The figures translate into Ghana’s current treatment cascade of 68-69-90, while the country is approaching the third global target on viral suppression, substantial gaps remain in HIV diagnosis and treatment coverage,” he said.
Kwao said viral suppression was one of the most important indicators in HIV care because people whose viral load became undetectable remained healthy and did not sexually transmit the virus when they consistently took their medication. The Estimates further showed that the number of people tested for viral load among those receiving treatment increased from 54,538 in 2018 to 125,051 in 2025.
Similarly, the number of people who achieved viral suppression more than tripled from 36,226 in 2018 to 114,956 in 2025, reflecting improvements in treatment adherence, laboratory capacity, and patient follow-up. According to the projections, adult women continue to perform better across the treatment cascade, with 79 per cent knowing their HIV status, 82 per cent receiving treatment and 93 per cent achieving viral suppression.
Among adult men, 57 percent are aware of their HIV status, 76 percent are receiving treatment, and 91 percent have achieved viral suppression. The Estimates further reveal that only 46 percent of children living with HIV have been diagnosed; however, of those identified, 87 percent are on treatment and 81 percent have suppressed viral loads.
The Ghana AIDS Commission attributed the low diagnosis rate among children partly to missed opportunities for early infant testing and emphasized the need to strengthen efforts to identify HIV-positive children promptly and link them to care. It urged the public to embrace HIV testing, stressing that early diagnosis enables timely treatment, supports long and healthy lives, and helps prevent further transmission.
The Commission noted that Ghana can reach epidemic control if more people voluntarily test for HIV, remain on treatment, and sustain viral suppression, while continuing to eliminate stigma and discrimination associated with the disease.
Source: GNA
