GHS establishes more POC testing sites for pregnant women to curb Neonatal HIV

The Eastern Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has expanded its Point-of-Care (POC) testing for HIV among pregnant women to 15 out of the region's 33 districts and municipalities.

Previously, the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua was the sole testing centre, leading to delays in results and missed opportunities for early intervention for HIV-positive pregnant women.

This expansion is part of efforts to curb Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV, which remains a serious concern.

Data from the 2023 national HIV and AIDS estimates showed that 17,774 people became newly infected with HIV, including 1,698 children under 15 and 1,520 adolescents.