Ghana Commences Countdown To World AIDS Day 2026
The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), under the auspices of the Office of the President, has officially launched World AIDS Day 2026, marking 40 years of Ghana’s national response to HIV and AIDS. The launch took place on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, at the Commission’s Conference Room.
Held under the global theme, “Ending AIDS Starts With Access,” and the national sub-theme, “40 Years of Steady Progress, Stepping Up Prevention to End AIDS,” the event brought together government representatives, development partners, civil society organisations, health-sector stakeholders and the media to reflect on the country’s progress and renew commitment to ending AIDS as a public health threat.
Addressing stakeholders, the Director-General of GAC, Dr. Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, described the 40-year milestone as an opportunity for renewed national ownership, stronger prevention efforts and decentralised, community-level action. He emphasised that access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care must be expanded so that no one is left behind.
Director-General of GAC, Dr. Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong
The launch highlighted four priority areas: improving access to prevention options, including condoms, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP); expanding confidential HIV testing and self-testing; bringing treatment services closer to communities; and strengthening domestic financing alongside the protection of the rights of people living with HIV.
Development partners, including the National AIDS Control Programme, UNAIDS, UNFPA, the National Population Council and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, reaffirmed the importance of collaboration, sustainable financing, youth engagement, community-led action and stigma-free access to services.
As Ghana prepares for the national commemoration on 1 December 2026, planned engagements include youth-focused initiatives, school-based activities and continued public education to promote HIV prevention, testing and treatment. Stakeholders were encouraged to make prevention a shared responsibility and support access to accurate information and essential services.
Below are photos of the launch.
