Guyana makes ‘remarkable progress’ in HIV/AIDS fight
With a massive youth following, Public Health Minister Dr. George Norton (left) and the UNAIDS Representative (right) led the World AIDS Rally and March around Georgetown on Saturday
With a massive youth following, Public Health Minister Dr. George Norton (left) and the UNAIDS Representative (right) led the World AIDS Rally and March around Georgetown on Saturday

–but controlling PLHIV still a struggle

PUBLIC Health Minister Dr. George Norton is extremely proud of Guyana’s remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

So proud is he, in fact, that he couldn’t help remarking about it on Saturday in his address to the large gathering of predominantly youths assembled at Durban Park for Guyana’s World AIDS Day observances.

“We must acknowledge that Guyana has demonstrated a steady decrease in the number of AIDS cases and the number of AIDS-related deaths,” Dr. Norton said.

And as far as preventing babies being born with HIV from mothers are infected, another plus has been recorded. This has been achieved through robust application of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child-Transmission (PMTCT) programme by the Ministry of Public Health.

Dr. Norton said: “Much has also been achieved in the prevention of mother-to-child (PMTCT) transmission rate. (It) decreased from 6.1 per cent in 2010 to 2 per cent in 2015.”

Dr. Norton said that, according to baseline data, the prevalence of HIV and AIDS among women attending antenatal clinics has decreased from 3.1 per cent in 2003 to 1.9 per cent in 2015; and statistics given for adult-HIV prevalence have shown a decline to 1.5 per cent at the end of 2015.

However, he also revealed the following: “Statistics for the period January to June 2016 have revealed that 1.9 per cent of young people aged 15 to 24 are living with HIV.”

Considering this development a matter of grave concern for the Government of Guyana, Minister Dr. Norton said: “We will be examining the possibility of introducing HIV/AIDS counselling and testing services in secondary schools.”

VCT
Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) outreaches were continuously taken to both coastland and hinterland communities during 2016. More specifically, 12 outreaches for key populations were conducted at popular hang-out spots on the coastland.
Guyana has 62 fixed testing sites, and statistics for the period January to June 2016 show that 40,331 tests were done countrywide.

TRAINING
Training on a trainer-of-trainers basis was conducted for 20 persons from the Vector Control Unit, and ten persons from the Guyana Red Cross Society, so that they, in turn, can provide VCT services. Additionally, 21 female sex workers were trained as voluntary counsellors and testers.

Capacity building exercises were also conducted with voluntary counsellors and testers, so as to better equip them to provide psycho-social support to key populations. This, the minister said, allows them to address cross-cutting issues such as suicide, gender-based violence, and drug abuse.

And focusing on interventions targeting males, the minister disclosed that for the period January to June this year, 3698 men who have sex with men (MSM); 4051 sex workers, and 7193 miners and loggers were reached with HIV prevention package of services.

Meanwhile, for the period January to June this year, 1949 MSM, 2685 sex workers, and 2121 miners/loggers voluntarily took the HIV test and were able to know their statuses.

Other activities aimed at HIV prevention, Dr. Norton said, were: condom/lubricants distribution; community mobilisation; distribution of information, education and communication (IEC) materials; and sexual and reproductive health education messages through the mass media.

TREATMENT UPTAKE
As at June this year, 4791 persons are receiving treatment, which accounts for more than 85 per cent of patients enrolled in clinics.

“But despite such gains,” Dr. Norton warned, “we need not forget the issue of ‘stigma and discrimination’; one of the very important cross-cutting issues in our bid to eliminate the AIDS epidemic. We still have a lot more to do in this regard.”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.