Prof. Kwasi Torpey, the Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Ghana, has raised concerns about the risk of HIV and blood-borne infections among persons who inject drugs in Ghana.
He shared findings from research conducted by his team in 2022 across four regions in the country, indicating an HIV prevalence of 2.5 percent among individuals who used and injected drugs.
During an inaugural lecture themed “Ending HIV/AIDS in Africa: Reflections from the clinic, field, and classroom,” organized in his honor by the University of Ghana, Prof. Torpey presented his research findings. He revealed that the prevalence of HIV was significantly higher among women who injected drugs and were also engaged in sex work, with rates of 12.7 percent and 17.7 percent respectively.
He expressed his concern that Ghana might be on the brink of an HIV and blood-borne infections outbreak within the population of persons who inject drugs. Prof. Torpey emphasized that it’s essential to take deliberate and intentional actions to improve access to health services for all populations in order to effectively combat HIV/AIDS.
He highlighted that the statistics related to HIV/AIDS are alarming, with a life being lost every minute due to the disease, and thousands of new infections occurring daily. He emphasized that ending the AIDS epidemic in Africa would remain an elusive goal if there is not a focused effort to enhance healthcare access for all.
The inaugural lecture was attended by several dignitaries, including the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, and representatives from various health organizations and government bodies.