The Ghana AIDS Commission has launched a Youth Desk to strengthen young people’s participation and leadership in the national response to HIV and AIDS.
The initiative, launched on the theme, “Strengthening Youth Leadership and Partnership for an Inclusive HIV Response”, is expected to provide a platform for young people to contribute to the development of HIV prevention programmes, policies and interventions.
The establishment of the desk comes amid concerns about new HIV infections among young people, despite a decline in the country’s overall new infections.
The Youth Desk is expected to improve access to accurate information, strengthen collaboration among youth-led organisations and promote innovative approaches to HIV prevention, testing, treatment literacy and stigma reduction.
It will also provide opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds, including students, young professionals, young people living with HIV and young people who are challenged to participate in decisions that affect the country’s HIV response.
Infections among youth
Speaking at the launch in Accra last Tuesday, the Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Prosper Kharmacelle Akanbong, said young people aged 15 to 24 accounted for about one-third of new HIV infections in Ghana, describing the trend as worrying.
He said prevention messaging had received less attention as the national response increasingly focused on treatment and other interventions.
He explained that young people relied increasingly on social media and digital platforms for information, making it necessary to adopt communication strategies that reflected their changing needs.
Dr Akanbong said the Youth Desk would create a platform for young people to raise concerns, identify gaps in existing interventions and contribute to solutions.
He also urged parents to discuss HIV with their children as a health issue, combining HIV education with reproductive health information.
On confidential testing, he said the commission was working with the Ghana Network of People Living with HIV (GANET) to improve access to HIV self-testing kits and link young people to services, while reducing stigma and discrimination.
Dr Akanbong also called on stakeholders to collaborate with the commission in strengthening HIV prevention, treatment literacy, research, digital engagement and community mobilisation.
He said the Youth Desk’s success would depend on responsiveness, evidence-driven programming and strong collaboration among youth organisations.
2025 infections
The Youth Coordinator, Dorcas Nyarko, said the country recorded 13,961 new HIV infections in 2025, with young people accounting for about 27 per cent of the infections.
She said young people continued to face challenges involving sexual and reproductive health, access to accurate information and services, stigma and social and economic factors.
“Behind every number is a young person, a dream and a future,” she said.
Ms Nyarko called on young people to promote accurate information, challenge misinformation and encourage their peers to access HIV testing, prevention services and youth-friendly healthcare.
She advocated stronger combination prevention efforts, including comprehensive sexual education, condom programming, HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Call for partnerships
Ms Nyarko said HIV prevention was not the responsibility of young people alone and urged the government, development partners, civil society organisations, health institutions, traditional and religious leaders, the private sector and parents to invest in young people.
Ms Nyarko called for meaningful youth representation in decision-making, stressing: “Give us a seat at the table, not merely a seat in the audience.”
