Ahafo: Sharp rise in HIV cases among youth alarming

The region recorded 636 new infections between January and June 2025, with teenagers making up 14 percent.

The Ahafo Regional Health Directorate has expressed alarm over a surge in HIV cases, particularly among adolescents and young people. Officials say the trend poses a serious threat to public health and requires urgent attention.

Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Akosua Owusu-Sarpong, disclosed at a press briefing in Hwidiem that 636 new HIV infections were recorded in the first half of 2025. “This situation is alarming, scary, and dangerous,” she said. “Young people, who should be concentrating on their education, are instead engaging in risky sexual behaviour.”

She revealed that about 14 percent of the new cases involved adolescents and teenagers. Dr. Owusu-Sarpong appealed to journalists and media outlets to support intensified education campaigns to curb the spread of HIV and AIDS across the region.

The director further urged persons living with the virus to avoid deliberately infecting others and to seek treatment. “We encourage those affected to visit health facilities for medication that will enable them to live healthy lives,” she said.

However, the Mental Health Authority (MHA) has sounded the alarm over a sharp 40% increase in suicide deaths recorded in 2024.

It described the situation as a growing national crisis that demands urgent policy interventions and stronger community action.

Speaking at the World Suicide Prevention Day commemoration in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Dr. Eugene Dordoye, said the rise in suicide cases—especially among young people—highlights the urgent need for comprehensive interventions.

According to the Mental Health Authority, suicide-related deaths in 2023 stood at 134, but that figure jumped significantly in 2024. “The reported lives lost in 2023 were about 134. But we know that for every life lost, three to five times more people attempt. And for every attempt, up to 10 people are affected by it,” Dr. Dordoye explained.

He stressed that the 40% increase in suicide deaths cannot be ignored. “Unfortunately, we experienced up to a 40% increase in 2024, and the concern here is whether it could be the increase in awareness or reportage. We don’t have all the answers, but what we know is that we need to do more. We cannot afford to lose Ghanaians through a preventable cause of death,” he said.

Dr. Dordoye cautioned that beyond being a public health concern, the trend has serious economic implications. “The majority of those dying by suicide are young people with the greatest potential to contribute to Ghana’s GDP,” he warned.

He also called for stronger policy measures and increased investment in mental health services. He urged stakeholders to scale up public awareness campaigns that reduce stigma and encourage early help-seeking behaviour.