Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo, Programmes Manager, National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NACP), has refuted assertions that bloodsucking insects including mosquitoes, flies, lice, and bed bugs do not transmit Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV).
“Even if the virus enters a mosquito or another sucking or biting insect, the insect does not become infected and cannot transmit HIV to the next human it feeds on or bites. HIV is not found in insects. The fact that mosquitoes suck blood does not mean they can transmit it,” he posited.
Dr. Ayisi Addo stated at the pre-launch event of a national campaign focusing on HIV Self-Test (HIVST) kits in Tema.
According to him, there was no reason to fear that such insects could spread HIV in any form; “otherwise, in Ghana, everybody who has malaria will also have HIV because everyone the mosquito bites, it will take the blood together with the virus and every individual who has got malaria should also have HIV”.
“HIV may also be spread through contact with infected blood. However, due to the screening of blood for evidence of HIV infection, the risk of acquiring HIV from blood transfusions is extremely low.”
He also stated that despite prevention education and sensitization, many cases of HIV were still being recorded.
He said 33,870 cases were recorded by the third quarter of 2022, while 38,906 were recorded in the same period in 2021 and 39,318 in 2020.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
