The Ghana Health Service has indicated that 8 in the 10 transgender women (TGW) in Ghana had their first insertive anal sex before attaining age 20.

This was revealed in their 2023 survey on estimating the population size and integrated biological and behavioral characteristics among transgender women and men in Ghana.

According to the survey, “the history of receptive anal sex with a man was prevalent among the majority (90.4%) of TGW, with about two-thirds (62.4%) of them having their first experience between the ages of 18-19. A little over one-third (37.5%) indicated they have ever had insertive anal sex. Majority (75.6%) had their first insertive anal sex before age 20.

Details of the survey estimated that the total number of transgender women in Ghana was around 3,000. Greater Accra region recorded the highest estimated TGW population of 1,029, followed by Ashanti region, 404; while Upper East, 94 and Upper West, 61 regions had the lowest size estimates of TGW.

The report also indicated a pressing concern with regard to the prevalence of sexually transmitted illnesses among transgender women in Ghana. The data from the survey showed that HIV prevalence among TGW was estimated to be 48.2%, which is about 24 times higher than the national prevalence of 1.66%, according to the Ghana Health Service. Other illnesses, including syphilis and hepatitis B, had a prevalence rate of 18 and 4 percent, respectively.

However, the survey reported instances of stigmatisation and physical violence towards transgender women with 33.5% reported being stigmatised or discriminated against in the past 6 months.

About 1.5% of the TGW reported being denied healthcare because of stigma and/or discrimination in the past 12 months. 5.8% of the TGW indicated that they have ever been physically hurt, hit, choked, or threatened with a knife or weapon in the past 12 months to the survey.