The Ghana Health Service has indicated that 8 in the 10 transgender women (TGW) in Ghana had their first insertive anal sex before attaining age 20.
This was revealed in their 2023 survey on estimating the population size and integrated biological and behavioral characteristics among transgender women and men in Ghana.
According to the survey, “the history of receptive anal sex with a man was prevalent among the majority (90.4%) of TGW, with about two-thirds (62.4%) of them having their first experience between the ages of 18-19. A little over one-third (37.5%) indicated they have ever had insertive anal sex. Majority (75.6%) had their first insertive anal sex before age 20.
Details of the survey estimated that the total number of transgender women in Ghana was around 3,000. Greater Accra region recorded the highest estimated TGW population of 1,029, followed by Ashanti region, 404; while Upper East, 94 and Upper West, 61 regions had the lowest size estimates of TGW.
The report also indicated a pressing concern with regard to the prevalence of sexually transmitted illnesses among transgender women in Ghana. The data from the survey showed that HIV prevalence among TGW was estimated to be 48.2%, which is about 24 times higher than the national prevalence of 1.66%, according to the Ghana Health Service. Other illnesses, including syphilis and hepatitis B, had a prevalence rate of 18 and 4 percent, respectively.
However, the survey reported instances of stigmatisation and physical violence towards transgender women with 33.5% reported being stigmatised or discriminated against in the past 6 months.
About 1.5% of the TGW reported being denied healthcare because of stigma and/or discrimination in the past 12 months. 5.8% of the TGW indicated that they have ever been physically hurt, hit, choked, or threatened with a knife or weapon in the past 12 months to the survey.
Latest Stories
-
Bawumia selected Opoku Prempeh as running mate based on his own experience – Nana B
12 mins -
How a Gaza ‘stunt’ divided Australia’s parliament
42 mins -
Hurricane makes landfall as Caribbean braces for days ahead
45 mins -
USAID commissions ICT Centre and donates teaching and learning materials to schools in the North
1 hour -
Almost 1.8m people owe £50,000 or more in student debt
1 hour -
Trump pushes for felony conviction to be set aside
1 hour -
The UK taxi driver still being paid as a Nigerian civil servant
1 hour -
South Africa’s new coalition government unveiled
2 hours -
Video: Burna Boy sells out 80,000-capacity London Stadium for second time
2 hours -
Walewale NPP candidate’s lawyers request judge recusal over alleged bias
2 hours -
Theodore Roosevelt’s pocket watch was stolen in 1987. It’s finally back at his New York home
2 hours -
Biden’s family urges him to stay in White House race
2 hours -
Mauritanian president comfortably wins re-election
3 hours -
Bagbin calls for abolition of ex-gratia payments, declares system outdated
3 hours -
I started Shaxi with over $2m – Shatta Wale
3 hours