HIV testing coverage in Obuasi has expanded dramatically over the past three years, but the municipality faces a critical challenge in linking patients to sustained care.
The number of persons tested rose from 335 in 2024 to 707 in 2025, and further to 1,266 in 2026 — representing a 278% increase. This surge reflects improved outreach, awareness campaigns, and access to testing services across the mining community.
Despite this progress, linkage to care has faltered. Coverage improved to 83.33% in 2025, but dropped sharply to 15.66% in 2026, even though 57 clients were successfully linked to treatment.
Positivity rates, however, show encouraging signs. The proportion of individuals testing positive fell from 15.85% in 2024 to 5.92% in 2026, suggesting that testing services are reaching a broader population and detecting cases earlier. Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services also remained strong, with coverage consistently above 97% and reaching 100.83% in 2026.
Hon. Faustilove Appiah Kannin, Municipal Chief Executive, acknowledged both the progress and the setbacks.
“We are encouraged by the rise in testing and the decline in positivity rates, but the sharp fall in linkage to care is alarming. This is where we must urgently intervene,” Hon. Appiah Kannin told Assembly Members during the First Ordinary Meeting of the Third Session of the Eighth Assembly, held on 2nd and 3rd June 2026 at the Old Assembly Conference Hall, Antobuasi.
The Assembly pledged to intensify collaboration with the Municipal Health Directorate to address the linkage-to-care gap, expand community education, and strengthen support systems for people living with HIV.