The Ghana AIDS Commission is urging a nationwide rethink in how sexual and reproductive health education is delivered to young people, following a troubling spike in HIV infections among adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, July 22, the Director-General of the Commission, Dr. Prosper Akanbong, highlighted a critical behavioural trend contributing to the surge: the growing use of emergency contraceptives at the expense of condoms.
According to Dr. Akanbong, many young people now perceive pregnancy as a more immediate threat than contracting HIV or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This perception, he noted, has led to a widespread reliance on emergency contraceptive pills, while condom usage—known for offering dual protection—is alarmingly low.
“We’re facing a public health communication crisis,” Dr. Akanbong stated. “The youth are not receiving adequate, relatable information about the long-term consequences of HIV. Their choices are being guided more by fear of unintended pregnancy than fear of infections.”
The Commission believes the rising trend underscores a disconnect between reproductive health messaging and the lived realities of young people. Experts are therefore calling for an overhaul of existing sexual education strategies, urging a stronger emphasis on condom advocacy, STI awareness, and a shift from fear-based to fact-based messaging.
Dr. Akanbong stressed the importance of community involvement, youth-friendly health services, and comprehensive sex education tailored to the digital habits and social environments of today’s youth.
“If we want to reverse this trend, we must meet young people where they are—online, in schools, and within peer networks—using language that resonates and evidence they trust,” he said.
The Commission plans to collaborate with civil society, the Ghana Health Service, and education stakeholders to roll out a targeted behaviour change campaign aimed at rebalancing the focus between pregnancy prevention and infection protection.
The growing HIV burden among Ghana’s youth has raised alarm bells for public health experts, who warn that without immediate intervention, the country’s decades-long progress in fighting HIV could face serious setbacks.
