By Admin. Updated 5:55 a.m., Monday, December 4, 2023, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
One health official has expressed concern that some people are testing positive for HIV, but they are not taking treatment.
Speaking on Radio on World AIDS Day (December 1st), Infectious Disease Specialist in the Ministry of Health – Dr. Jose Davy said:
“We also know that there are persons who may have tested and they do not come in to care. So, by the time we get them they are severely ill and sometimes very sick and dying”.
She said that “in 2023, we really should not have these things happening because we have everything available for persons to be happy and healthy”.
Dr. Davy said: “we have in care some 430 persons are receiving anti retroviral therapy” in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Ms. Davy said that regionally, there are over 11 deaths and 44 infections daily in the Latin America and Caribbean region.
“We want persons to know that even though there is treatment and persons are living healthy happy lives, and it’s now a chronic disease that there are persons who still are not measuring their risk which means that there are persons who are still getting infected,” she said.
“Everyday in the Latin American and Caribbean region, 44 persons still get infected and about 11 persons die daily in this region,” she said.
She said: “So, although we have done great work, we still need communities to realize that it is still somewhat of a threat, so hence the reason why we have chosen “let communities lead”.
Let communities lead is the theme for this year’s observance of World AIDS Day.
“So, now the onus is on persons to look at their continuous risk,” she added.
For St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Davy said: “every year, we get at least between the late twenties and the maximum in the fifties per year,” referring to the number of HIV cases recorded.
“For instance, last year, we had 54 cases , but generally, it staggers around 35 cases per year,” she said.
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