Accra, Ghana – July 2, 2025 — In a significant move to promote public health among Ghana’s youth, the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana AIDS Commission to launch a national HIV/AIDS education and prevention campaign.
The partnership, spearheaded by YEA CEO Malik Basintale and the Acting Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr. Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, is designed to provide young people across the country with accurate, up-to-date information about HIV prevention, reduce the stigma surrounding the virus, and encourage voluntary testing.
At the official signing ceremony held in Accra, CEO Malik Basintale emphasized the agency’s broader vision of empowering youth—not just through job creation, but also by addressing critical health issues that affect their lives and futures.
“YEA remains committed to building a generation of well-informed, responsible, and healthy young people. This partnership with the Ghana AIDS Commission ensures that our efforts go beyond employment—we are now tackling a major public health challenge that continues to affect thousands of Ghanaian youths,” said Basintale.
Under the initiative, YEA beneficiaries across the country will receive targeted HIV/AIDS education and prevention training. The program will also integrate peer-to-peer education, outreach campaigns, and community-based activities aimed at promoting awareness, encouraging behavioral change, and providing access to testing and counseling services.
Dr. Akanbong highlighted the urgency of the partnership, citing rising infection rates among young people aged 15-24, a demographic that remains highly vulnerable due to lack of awareness and access to preventive services.
“This collaboration gives us the platform to reach young people where they are—with the right information, in the right format, and at the right time. Our goal is to equip the youth with the tools to protect themselves and their peers,” Dr. Akanbong stated.
The program will officially roll out in the coming months, with a phased implementation across all regions. Special focus will be placed on areas with high youth unemployment and limited access to health education services.
Both agencies have called on development partners, civil society organizations, and the private sector to support the initiative, emphasizing the need for a multi-sectoral approach to effectively combat the spread of HIV/AIDS among Ghanaian youth.
This partnership marks a strategic step forward in national efforts to eliminate new HIV infections and aligns with Ghana’s broader agenda to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets by 2030.
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