Rev Dr Lawrence Tetteh Apologizes to University of Ghana Over False HIV

Infection Claims Rev Dr Lawrence Tetteh, founder of Worldwide Miracle Outreach, has apologized to the University of Ghana for his recent claims about the prevalence of HIV infections among students at the school. Tetteh had alleged on GTV’s Breakfast Show that the number of HIV cases at the University of Ghana was “shocking,” attributing it to promiscuous behaviour on campus. However, the university criticised his comments, calling them “callous” and demanding an apology. In his apology statement, Tetteh said, “I did not intend to undermine the university or spread misinformation.” He added that his aim was to portray broader societal issues faced by youth, not to single out University of Ghana students. The University of Ghana reiterated that discussions about HIV should be based on scientific data, not speculation, to avoid sensationalising the issue. According to the 2023 national and sub-national HIV and AIDS estimates and projections for Ghana, 17,774 people became newly infected with HIV in 2023, including 4,869 young people between 15 and 24 years old. Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene, Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, noted that while new infections decreased by 14.8% between 2013 and 2023, it fell short of the country’s annual target of reducing new infections by 17% within the last decade.