President John Dramani Mahama has sounded the alarm on the rising rate of HIV infections among young Ghanaians, describing the trend as troubling, avoidable, and a wake-up call for national action.
The president expressed deep concern over what he termed a "failure in communications" and the persistent stigma surrounding sexual health issues in an address delievred at the launch of Ghana's 2025 Voluntary National Review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. "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.
Prevention is essential, but empowerment is the key." He called for a youth-driven national response, urging stakeholders to prioritize accessible, stigma-free sexual health education and services to reverse the troubling trend.