The Bono Regional Director of the Ghana AIDS Commission Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Bambilla has revealed that Bono Region Recorded a total of Nine Hundred and thirty-four (934) new cases in the 2023 calendar year.
Giving the Regional Breakdown in an interview on GIFTS FM morning Show dubbed Anopa Bosuo chaired by Kwaku Mensah Abrampa, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Bambilla noted that Banda district recorded 17 new cases, Berekum Municipal had 111, Berekum West 30, Dormaa East 79, Dormaa Central 85, Dormaa West 30, Jaman North 74, Jaman South 96, Sunyani Municipal 152, Sunyani west 76, Tain District 92 and Wenchi District 92 which sum up to 934 new HIV infections recorded in Bono Region stressing that the region is 1st in HIV prevalence within the entire country.
Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim added that unprotected sex contributes to 95 % of the mode of transmission with blood transfusion and others contributing to the remaining 5% stressing that teenage pregnancy is in the ascendency and the factors that lead to teenage pregnancies are the same factors that lead to HIV transmission.
He bemoaned the rate at which teenagers are being infected with the virus revealing that the region recorded 82 new cases among teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 years and charged parents to be responsible to prevent their wards from peer pressure and influence
Giving the preventive measures, he emphasized that total abstinence from sex before marriage gives 100% preventive assurance adding that people can also be faithful to their faithful partners, adopt the correct and consistent use of condoms, desist from sharing of sharp objects, observe early treatment of STIs and embarking on testing to know one’s status.