2020 Annual Report

Abstract

In 2020, the HIV prevalence was 2.0% amongst pregnant women attending antenatal care (2020 HIV Sentinel Survey Report, June 2021). To reduce the incidence of HIV in the country, the Programme developed and began the implementation of an Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization plan and collaborated with other partners to address HIV- and COVID related stigma and human rights abuses. One million eight hundred and thirty-seven thousand, one hundred and forty-nine (1,837,149) out of a target of 1,440,103 were tested for HIV in 2020, representing 128% target coverage. Approximately 17% were males, 32% were non-pregnant women, and 51% were pregnant women. Of those tested, 58,746 were found positive, giving a testing yield of 3.2%, the lowest in the last five years. From a total of 1,238,208 expected pregnancies in 2020, 70% (861,030) were tested for HIV and received their results. Thirteen thousand, two hundred and twenty-seven (13,227) out of those tested were newly diagnosed as HIV positive, giving a yield of 1.5%, and 8,125(61%) were initiated on ARVs. In addition, 17,665 clients who already knew that they were HIV positive were validated to be HIV positive at ANC registration, and 14,998(88%) of them were also already on antiretroviral treatment. In all, 24,762 of the 30,892 HIV positive pregnant women were offered ARVs, giving an ARV coverage of 80% among ANC clients in the year under review. Nine thousand nine hundred and seventy-seven (9,977) of the 29,851 expected HIV Exposed Infants identified received Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), giving a 33% nucleic acid testing coverage, and 7.2% (716) of them were positive at six weeks. Thirty-one thousand and thirty-five (31,035) adults and children were initiated on ART in 2020. As of December 2020, a total of 208,811 clients were on treatment, a significant increase from the 2019 figure. Ninety-four thousand six hundred and eighty-eight (94,688) viral load tests were performed as of December 2020, and 69,090 were virally suppressed. With the estimated 346,120 persons living with HIV in Ghana in 2020(Spectrum Estimates 2020), the 90-90-90 status for the country was 63-95-73 as of December 2020.