The President of the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network, a civil society organisation (CSO) dedicated to combating HIV and AIDS in Ghana, Amoabeng Ortsin, has dismissed speculations that the virus can be transmitted through oral sex.
In an interview with GhanaWeb’s Stella Dziedzorm on Health Focus, Ortsin stated that there is no available data linking oral sex to HIV/AIDS infections.
He emphasised that the mouth and digestive pathways have not been identified as a mode of transmission.
“So far, all available research and data indicate that when the virus enters your stomach, it becomes inactive. You are not going to get infected simply because you ingested the virus.
“If you look at the modes of transmission, there is something called QQR (Quality, Quantity, and Route). The mouth and digestive pathways have not been identified as a route for the virus,” he explained.
Ortsin further clarified that the primary cause of HIV/AIDS transmission is tiny cuts and abrasions on the skin that occur during penetrative sex.
“Normally, it is those abrasions and tiny cuts on the skin that open during sex that lead to transmission. But oral sex has not been identified as a major risk factor,” he said.
He concluded by acknowledging that while there may be other health concerns associated with oral sex, HIV transmission is not one of them.
“There are other risks with oral sex, but when it comes to HIV, it is not a mode of transmission,” he added.
Watch the full interview below:
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