Over 19,000 persons in the Bono Region are living with HIV and AIDS, according to the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Ahmed Ibrahim Bambila.

According to him, the region also recorded 875 new HIV infections. He described the figures as “alarming,” urging stronger, coordinated interventions to tackle the underlying causes to prevent further spread.

Bambila spoke during the inauguration of the Bono Regional Committee of the Ghana AIDS Commission (RECCOM) in Sunyani on Thursday, November 20, 2025.

The newly inaugurated 9-member committee, chaired by Bono Regional Minister Joseph Addae Akwaboa, is expected to lead and coordinate HIV-related programmes in the region to curb infections and enhance care.

Bambila noted that several factors continued to drive HIV transmission in the region, including low condom use, multiple sexual partners, stigma and discrimination, inadequate sexual health education, migration, transactional sex, and limited access to HIV services.

According to the 2024 Regional HIV Estimates, the Bono Region’s HIV prevalence stood at 2.22 per cent among persons aged 15 to 49 — higher than the national average.

Bambila urged community actors, health institutions, civil society groups, and traditional authorities to intensify education and advocacy to reduce stigma, promote safe sexual practices, and improve access to testing and treatment.