Ghana has recorded a decline in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, with the latest national estimates showing progress in the country’s response to the epidemic.

The 2025 National HIV Estimates and Projections report by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) indicates that new HIV infections reduced from 16,189 in 2024 to 13,951 in 2025.

AIDS-related deaths also declined from 13,429 to 12,051 within the same period, representing nearly a 14% reduction.

Presenting the report in Accra on Monday, July 20, the Director for Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ghana AIDS Commission, Isaiah Doe Kwao, attributed the improvement to sustained investments in HIV testing, treatment and care services.

“Ghana’s HIV response is making progress, but we still have more work to do to reach epidemic control and ensure that no one is left behind,” he said.

The estimates show that about 337,435 people of all ages are currently living with HIV in Ghana.

Out of this number, 315,513 are adults aged 15 years and above, while 21,922 are children below 15 years.

The report further indicates that 19,528 adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 are living with HIV, with young people aged 15 to 24 years accounting for 33,317 cases.

Speaking at the launch, the Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kharmacelle Akanbong, said preventing new infections remains central to Ghana’s strategy to end AIDS as a public health threat.

He explained that every new infection increases the number of people who require lifelong treatment and care.

“Epidemic control means new infections and AIDS deaths must continue to come down. There should ideally be no new infections, although that is difficult to achieve. The objective is to reduce them to the lowest possible level,” Dr Akanbong said.

According to him, Ghana could further reduce new HIV infections from 13,951 in 2025 to about 6,430 by 2030 if prevention programmes, testing services and treatment coverage continue to improve.

AIDS-related deaths are also projected to decline from 12,051 in 2025 to approximately 4,893 by 2030.

The report noted that adult HIV prevalence among persons aged 15 to 49 years has declined from 1.79% in 2015 to 1.40% in 2025, with projections indicating a further reduction to 1.18% by 2030.

Dr Akanbong attributed the decline in prevalence to increased access to antiretroviral medicines, early initiation of treatment and improved retention of patients in HIV care.

However, he cautioned that challenges remain, particularly in identifying people who are unaware of their HIV status, expanding testing services and ensuring a consistent supply of medicines.

He called for stronger collaboration between government agencies, development partners, healthcare workers and communities to sustain the gains made in the HIV response.

The Ghana AIDS Commission said continued investment in prevention, testing and treatment services will be critical as the country works towards achieving the global target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.