Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Ghana

Ghana: Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS was 240,000 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
240,000
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
14th
of 138 countries
All-time high
250,000
in 2020
All-time low
13,000
in 1990
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Ghana, 1990–2024

050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k1990200720241990: 13.0k1991: 18.0k1992: 24.0k1993: 32.0k1994: 41.0k1995: 52.0k1996: 65.0k1997: 79.0k1998: 95.0k1999: 110.0k2000: 130.0k2001: 140.0k2002: 160.0k2003: 170.0k2004: 190.0k2005: 200.0k2006: 210.0k2007: 220.0k2008: 230.0k2009: 230.0k2010: 230.0k2011: 240.0k2012: 240.0k2013: 240.0k2014: 240.0k2015: 240.0k2016: 240.0k2017: 240.0k2018: 240.0k2019: 240.0k2020: 250.0k2021: 240.0k2022: 240.0k2023: 240.0k2024: 240.0k

Source: UNAIDS estimates.

Analysis

Ghana recorded 240,000 for children orphaned by hiv/aids in 2024.

The figure is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, children orphaned by hiv/aids in Ghana peaked at 250,000 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 13,000, in 1990.

That places Ghana 14th out of 138 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.

Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Ghana, year by year

Annual values for Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Ghana, 1990 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1990 13,000
1991 18,000 +38.5%
1992 24,000 +33.3%
1993 32,000 +33.3%
1994 41,000 +28.1%
1995 52,000 +26.8%
1996 65,000 +25.0%
1997 79,000 +21.5%
1998 95,000 +20.3%
1999 110,000 +15.8%
2000 130,000 +18.2%
2001 140,000 +7.7%
2002 160,000 +14.3%
2003 170,000 +6.2%
2004 190,000 +11.8%
2005 200,000 +5.3%
2006 210,000 +5.0%
2007 220,000 +4.8%
2008 230,000 +4.5%
2009 230,000 +0.0%
2010 230,000 +0.0%
2011 240,000 +4.3%
2012 240,000 +0.0%
2013 240,000 +0.0%
2014 240,000 +0.0%
2015 240,000 +0.0%
2016 240,000 +0.0%
2017 240,000 +0.0%
2018 240,000 +0.0%
2019 240,000 +0.0%
2020 250,000 +4.2%
2021 240,000 -4.0%
2022 240,000 +0.0%
2023 240,000 +0.0%
2024 240,000 +0.0%

Ghana compared with similar countries

  • Ghana's 240,000 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40,000, 6.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
  • Ghana's 240,000 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 83,500, 2.9× the median. (44 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 52,900 13,000 110,000 10
2000s 188,000 130,000 230,000 10
2010s 239,000 230,000 240,000 10
2020s 242,000 240,000 250,000 5

Countries ranked near Ghana

  1. 11 Zambia 350,000 compare
  2. 12 Cote d'Ivoire 310,000 compare
  3. 13 Angola 290,000 compare
  4. 14 Ethiopia 240,000 compare
  5. 16 Pakistan 160,000 compare
  6. 17 Thailand 150,000 compare

See the full ranking of 139 places →

More health data for Ghana

All data for Ghana →

Frequently asked questions

What is children orphaned by hiv/aids in Ghana?
Children orphaned by hiv/aids in Ghana was 240,000 in 2024, according to UNAIDS estimates.
What is the highest children orphaned by hiv/aids recorded in Ghana?
The highest recorded value was 250,000 in 2020.
What is the lowest children orphaned by hiv/aids recorded in Ghana?
The lowest recorded value was 13,000 in 1990.
How does Ghana rank for children orphaned by hiv/aids?
Ghana ranks 14th out of 138 countries with data for 2024.
Is children orphaned by hiv/aids rising or falling in Ghana?
Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ghana data come from?
The figures come from UNAIDS estimates, published as part of Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Ghana. Statizoid, drawing on UNAIDS estimates. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/children-orphaned-by-hiv-aids/ghana/

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About this data

Indicator
Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS
Source
UNAIDS estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
139 places, 4,809 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

Number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS is the estimated number of children who have lost their mother or both parents to AIDS before age 15 since the epidemic began. Some of the orphaned children included in this cumulative total are no longer alive; others are no longer under age 15.