More than 19,000 people in the Bono Region are currently living with HIV and AIDS, according to Ahmed Ibrahim Bambila, the Regional Technical Coordinator for the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) covering Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo. He also reported that the region saw 875 new HIV infections.
Bambila described these statistics as “alarming” and called for more robust and coordinated efforts to address the root causes and curb the spread of the disease. He made these remarks at the inauguration of the Bono Regional Committee of the Ghana AIDS Commission (RECCOM) in Sunyani on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
The newly inaugurated 9-member committee, chaired by Bono Regional Minister Joseph Addae Akwaboa, is expected to lead and coordinate HIV-related programmes in the region to curb infections and enhance care.
Bambila noted that several factors continued to drive HIV transmission in the region, including low condom use, multiple sexual partners, stigma and discrimination, inadequate sexual health education, migration, transactional sex, and limited access to HIV services. According to the 2024 Regional HIV Estimates, the Bono Region’s HIV prevalence stood at 2.22 per cent among persons aged 15 to 49 — higher than the national average.
Bambila urged community actors, health institutions, civil society groups, and traditional authorities to intensify education and advocacy to reduce stigma, promote safe sexual practices, and improve access to testing and treatment.
Source: classfmonline.com/Zita Okwang
