The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has revealed that research confirms many adolescent girls in the country contract HIV during their very first sexual experience.
Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Bimbilla, the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regional Technical Coordinator of the GAC, described the situation as alarming and advised sexually active girls to abstain from premarital sex.
He cautioned that those unable to resist sexual urges should at least avoid unprotected sex and multiple partners, emphasizing that total abstinence remains the surest protection against HIV and AIDS.
Mr. Bimbilla gave the advice while addressing a radio clinic and community forum of the Sunyani Adolescent Parliament, an initiative of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF).
The Adolescent Parliament was established under the “Resilient City for Adolescents (RCA)” project, being implemented by GloMeF in partnership with the Women Empowerment Network and Citizens Watch Ghana, with funding from the Swiss Botnar Foundation. The £300,000 project aims to improve the wellbeing of adolescents.
Mr. Bimbilla noted that although HIV and AIDS remain incurable, the rising desire among adolescents to engage in sexual activity continues to expose them to health risks. Beyond HIV, he warned that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were also common among young people, urging both boys and girls to protect themselves.
He, however, stressed that hope was not lost for adolescents living with HIV, noting that those infected could be placed on antiretroviral therapy to enable them to live long, healthy lives and achieve their dreams.
Mrs. Joseph Yalley, Bono Regional Officer of the Girls Education Unit of the Ghana Education Service, disclosed that 500 schoolgirls became pregnant in 2023, but the figure dropped to 181 in 2024. She attributed the reduction to intensified sexual education programmes and called for greater community support.
Similarly, Mrs. Felicia Konadu, a Health Promotion Officer at the Bono Regional Directorate of Health, advocated for the creation of adolescent health clubs in basic schools. Such platforms, she explained, would provide young people with accurate information on sexual and reproductive health, helping reduce teenage pregnancies.
Mr. Edward Ayabilah, Programme Manager of GloMeF, added that the RCA project also seeks to strengthen citizen participation in local governance while improving the lives of adolescents.
Source: GNA
Source: ghanabusinessnews.com
