Men in Upper West Reluctant to Use HIV Oral Test Kits – NGO

The Executive Director of the Acceleration Community Based Development Agency, David Gaanye, has raised concern over low uptake of HIV oral self-test kits among men in Ghana’s Upper West Region, describing the trend as a major obstacle to prevention efforts.

Speaking on Info Radio on February 14, 2026, Mr. Gaanye said his organization has been implementing awareness campaigns across three districts in the region to help curb the spread of HIV.

However, he noted that convincing men to voluntarily use oral test kits remains one of their most persistent challenges.

According to him, the agency, in collaboration with the Ghana AIDS Commission, distributed more than 1,000 HIV test kits and condoms in the Wa Municipality ahead of Valentine’s Day as part of intensified prevention outreach.

Mr. Gaanye stressed that HIV is no longer a death sentence and urged residents to take advantage of the oral self-test kits to know their status early, emphasizing that testing is a crucial step toward treatment and prevention.

Meanwhile, the Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission for the region, Osei-Bonsu Gyamfi, identified stigma as one of the biggest barriers to testing and treatment.

He assured the public that strict confidentiality measures are in place to protect individuals who test positive or are living with HIV.