The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has strongly dismissed as false and misleading a viral media publication alleging that about 60% of applicants who recently underwent military medical screening tested positive for HIV.
In an official press release issued by the Department of Public Relations at the General Headquarters, Burma Camp, the Armed Forces described the claims as fake news and urged the general public to disregard the publication in its entirety.
According to the statement, the attention of the Ghana Armed Forces was drawn to a circulating report suggesting that a significant proportion of applicants for military enlistment had failed medical examinations due to HIV positivity.
The Armed Forces categorically denied the allegation, stressing that the medical screening process is still ongoing and no results have been officially declared.
“The Ghana Armed Forces wishes to state categorically that the publication is fake news and should be ignored by all. The medical process is ongoing and no results have been declared as at now,” the statement emphasized.
The GAF expressed serious concern about the potential damage such unverified reports could cause, particularly to the reputation of the institution and the dignity of prospective applicants who have subjected themselves to rigorous recruitment processes.
In this regard, the Armed Forces urged media practitioners, bloggers, vloggers, and content creators to exercise the highest levels of professionalism, circumspection, and ethical responsibility by crosschecking facts with official sources before publication.
“The Ghana Armed Forces once again urges media practitioners, especially content creators and bloggers/vloggers, to be circumspect and crosscheck their facts before going to press,” the release stated.
Beyond dismissing the claims, the Armed Forces disclosed that efforts are underway to trace the originators of the mischievous publication, indicating a firm stance against the deliberate spread of falsehoods that could undermine public trust and national security institutions.
The release noted that such misinformation not only fuels unnecessary public anxiety but also contributes to stigma, particularly around sensitive health matters such as HIV, which demand discretion, accuracy, and compassion in public discourse.
Commitment to Transparency and Integrity
The Ghana Armed Forces reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, integrity, and professionalism in all its recruitment and medical screening processes.
It assured the public that official communication regarding recruitment outcomes would be made only through authorized channels at the appropriate time.
The statement was signed by Captain (Ghana Navy) Veronica Adzo Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces.
As misinformation continues to proliferate rapidly across social media platforms, the Armed Forces advised the public to rely solely on verified and official communications from the GAF and credible media outlets.
The press release concluded with a reminder that false publications carry serious consequences and that safeguarding public confidence in state institutions requires collective responsibility from both information producers and consumers.
