GHANA— In an effort to increase HIV testing and thus achieve the United Nations HIV/AIDS program, Ghana’s Ministry of Health (MoH) has unveiled an HIV Self-testing kit.

In a keynote address at the National Launch of the HIV Self-Testing in Accra, Hon. Kwaku Agyemang Manu mentioned that the availability of the kit is a step forward in the quest to create a healthier nation.

The health minister remarked that by adopting the self-test kit, the health sector is bridging the gap in testing coverage among hard-to-reach populations.

“When individuals know their status, they can make informed decisions about their health and make the necessary steps to protect themselves and their partners,” the Minister said.

The Minister advised that the self-testing should not be seen as an end but rather as an opportunity to create a society that supports and cares for HIV-positive persons.

“I pledge the ministry’s support to engage its key stakeholders to ensure the availability of stock, medicines, and logistics in their effort to combat HIV/AIDS. Ghanaians should take advantage of the innovation to get tested to know their status to protect themselves and their loved ones,” Hon. Agyemang Manu urged.

Representing the Director-General of the Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, and the Director of Public Health Division, Dr. Franklin Aseidu- Bekoe noted that self-testing has been proven globally to improve the uptake of HIV testing and its eventual treatment.

“Only an estimated 28% of persons living with HIV are linked to anti-retroviral therapy and other complimentary screening services. Everyone needs to embrace innovation to help bring healthcare services closer,” Dr. Aseidu-Bekoe reiterated.

Dr Stephen Ayisi Addo, the Program Manager for the National AIDS/STI Control Program noted that the self-testing is a triage test to complement the routine test by the trained service provider.

Dr. Ayisi- Addo added that because of the stigma attached to the sickness, a reactive or positive result after self-testing must be confirmed by the routine algorithm using three different tests in series before one can be declared HIV positive.

Dr. Ayisi-Addo stated that HIV screening is the first step to treatment, hence separate HIV testing is a crucial intervention expected to improve access to HIV screening services.

He further stated that permanent operationalized teleconsulting services have been instituted with two counsellors who provide services to both positive and negative clients.  

“Currently we have in stock over 165,000 kits ready for distribution and we have also budgeted for more kits under the next Global Fund grant to complement the private sector,” Dr. Ayisi-Addo said.

Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr. Kyereme Atuahene, said the ability to diagnose the HIV population in the country was the key determinant of success.

Dr. Atuahene said that HIV self-testing would empower individuals to test themselves discreetly and conveniently in the privacy of their homes or other preferred locations.

Dr. Atuahene added that the kit would also provide an opportunity to reach key populations who might face unique challenges in accessing health care.

“By expanding access to sub-testing, we can overcome barriers related to stigma and concerns about privacy and confidentiality that often deter individuals from seeking traditional testing test services,” Dr. Atuahene added.

Ghana’s embracing new innovation to get to UNAIDS target

The 95-95-95 is the goal set by the UNAIDS in 2020 calling for 95% of all people living with HIV to know their status, 95% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection to receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy to have viral suppression by 2025.

Ghana MoH has expanded opportunities for better HIV/AIDS case management and the HIV self-test kits introduced will help the country achieve the 95-95-95 goals of the UNAIDS.

The new self-test device, supported by Global Fund to Fight HIV, AIDS, and Tuberculosis, will provide convenience, confidentiality, privacy, and quick result.

The MoH Ghana notes that the HIV self-testing kit was one of the newest innovations in the range of strategies aimed at encouraging persons to know their status.

Moreover, its well established by UNAIDS that testing was the foundation of the entire response to HIV/AIDS, which is the gateway to prevention, treatment care, and support services & increasing testing would help effectively identify new infections to be tackled.

Stakeholders in the health sector are encouraged to implement the necessary actions to ensure the continuity of differentiated HIV testing studies, testing technologies, and commodities were available and accessible for all.

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