Gov’t steps up efforts to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission

The government is intensifying efforts to curb the transmission of HIV from pregnant women to their babies, Minister for Gender and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has said.

Speaking at the launch of the Civil Society Strengthening Programme (CSSP) Strategy in Accra on Monday, she emphasised that protecting future generations from HIV remains a top priority.

Dr Lartey noted that special attention is being given to supporting pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS, with interventions already yielding “significant progress” in reducing mother-to-child transmission (MTCT).

Globally, about 1.3 million women with HIV become pregnant each year, with a 15–45% risk of transmitting the virus to their child if no interventions are applied.

In Ghana, MTCT is the second leading mode of HIV transmission and accounts for nearly all cases in children under 15, highlighting the urgency of targeted measures.

The CSSP Strategy, which was launched in Accra, is part of a broader effort to strengthen civil society participation in health initiatives, enhance community-based interventions, and improve access to HIV prevention, treatment, and counselling services for vulnerable populations.

Experts say early detection, adherence to antiretroviral therapy, and routine monitoring are critical to reducing MTCT rates, underscoring the importance of government-backed programmes such as this.

By scaling up support for pregnant women living with HIV, Ghana hopes to align with global targets aimed at eliminating new HIV infections among children and ensuring healthy outcomes for mothers and babies.