Abstract
The aim of this review was to summarize the data on HIV/AIDS epidemiology and affected populations in Ghana and to describe the United States President's Emergency Plan for Emergency Relief's (PEPFAR) response to the epidemic. We conducted a literature review focusing on PEPFAR's contribution to the HIV response in Ghana. Additionally, we summarized the epidemiology of HIV. We searched both peer-reviewed and grey literature. Ghana. Overall, HIV prevalence in Ghana is 1.6% with regional variation. Key populations (KPs) are disproportionately affected by HIV in the country. FSW and their clients, and MSM, account for 28% of all new infections. PEPFAR provides technical assistance (TA) to Ghana to maximize the quality, coverage and impact of the national HIV/AIDS response. To ensure adequate supply of antiretrovirals (ARVs), in 2016-2017, PEPFAR invested $23.7 million as a onetime supplemental funding to support Ghana's ARV treatment program. In addition, the National AIDS Control Programme in collaboration with PEPFAR is implementing a scale up of viral load testing. PEPFAR is also implementing a comprehensive package of prevention services in five regions to help reach MSM and FSW and to expand HIV testing services for KPs. Ghana is making changes at both policy and program level in the fight against HIV/AIDS and is working towards achieving the UNAIDS' 90-90-90 targets. PEPFAR is providing TA to ensure these goals can be achieved. This manuscript has been supported by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Highlights
Ghana has a low-level HIV epidemic with disproportionately high prevalence of HIV in key populations (KPs) such as female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM)
Ghana is striving towards achieving the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS’ (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets (90% of HIV positive people know their status, 90% of those diagnosed are on treatment, and 90% of those on treatment are virally suppressed).[1]
In September 2016, the government of Ghana adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) policy of “treat all” – which is the provision of antiretroviral treatment (ART) to all people living with HIV (PLHIV) irrespective of their CD4 count, which was previously used as a cut off to start treatment.[2]
Summary
Ghana has a low-level HIV epidemic with disproportionately high prevalence of HIV in key populations (KPs) such as female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM). The United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is supporting Ghana to maximize the quality, coverage and impact of the national HIV/AIDS response. The aim of this review was to summarize the data on HIV/AIDS epidemiology and affected populations in Ghana and to describe PEPFAR’s response to the epidemic in light of the scale-up required to achieve “treat all”
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