President John Dramani Mahama has called for a bold, youth-driven national response to rising HIV infection rates among young Ghanaians, describing the trend as deeply worrying and avoidable.
Speaking at the launch of Ghana’s 2025 Voluntary National Review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Tuesday, [July 8, 2025], President Mahama said the increasing HIV prevalence among the youth reflects serious shortfalls in communication, education, and support systems.
“We are also alarmed by the rising HIV rates, especially amongst our young people,” Mr Mahama said. “This points to a failure in communications, stigma, and limited access to sexual health education.”
He called for a national conversation led by young people themselves, backed by institutions and families. “We need a bold, youth-led national conversation on prevention, supported by our schools, our health workers, our parents, and the media,” he added.
Mr Mahama stressed that while prevention must remain a priority, the long-term solution lies in giving young people the tools to make informed choices. “Prevention is essential, but empowerment is the key,” he said.
The issue was raised during the President’s broader reflection on Ghana’s progress toward achieving the SDGs, with just five years left to the 2030 global deadline.
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Meanwhile, according to UNAIDS, while there is no definitive evidence of a “rising” trend in HIV/AIDS in Ghana for 2025 specifically, the country faces ongoing challenges in its HIV/AIDS response, including potential impacts from funding cuts and persistent stigma. However, Ghana is also actively working towards achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets by 2025 and has shown commitment to addressing the epidemic through various initiatives.
New HIV infections have been reduced by 40% since 2010, and 4.4 million children have been protected from acquiring HIV since 2000. More than 26 million lives have been saved. The response to HIV is one of the most successful public health interventions in history.
However, this phenomenal progress risks being reversed. Sudden, drastic cuts from a number of donors have sent shockwaves through global health. UNAIDS’ new report, AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform, shows the impact the cuts are having globally. UNAIDS estimates that if the world does not act, there could be an additional 6 million new HIV infections and 4 million AIDS-related deaths by 2029.
The report highlights the measures some countries are taking to fill the gaps and sustain the response into the future. However, for many, that future remains uncertain.
The HIV response was forged in crisis–and was built to be resilient. Communities, governments, and the United Nations are all transforming to meet this moment and deliver on the promise of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The Launch of UNAIDS Global AIDS Update – AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform in partnership with the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) is expected to take place on Thursday the 10th of July, 2025 at Bertha Gxowa Hospital, Angus St, Germiston, Johannesburg, South Africa.
SPEAKERS:
- Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
- Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health of South Africa
- Helen Rees, Executive Director, Wits RHI
- Mbulelo Dyasi, Executive Director of SANARELA (South African Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV & AIDS).