15,000 of 2011 targeted 36,000 tested for HIV
THIRTY persons were tested on Wednesday when the fifth National Week of Testing began at the Linden Care Foundation (LCF), in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice). Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who was present, said that, by the end of this year, at least 36,000 people would have gone through the test for HIV, based on the projection of the government.
He recalled saying, when he was new in the ministry: “Indeed, I believe it was in April 2001, I was still a fairly new Minister of Health, when the organisation was launched, and, if you go back to that day and look at the speeches made, you would see that all we could dare dream of, then, was, maybe, a chance to reduce the impact of HIV Aids.”
Ramsammy remembers that, since its inception, the Centre was able to manage several projects aimed at sensitising young persons about the dangers of being infected with HIV. It has, since, expanded its operation to include the care and support initiatives and was successful in forming a network of persons living with HIV.
He said the Care and Support Programme has a family centred focus and what is offered is holistic in its approach and managed by a multi-disciplinary team.
Those in attendance at the forum included Regional Health Officer, Dr. Pansy Armstrong, National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) Director, Dr. Shanti Singh, LCF Director, Mr. Basil Benn and other members of  its executive.
Ramsammy remarked that Linden has played a significant role in advancing the fight against HIV and actually plays a pivotal part in the victory being crafted against HIV.
The Minister told his audience: “You, my sisters and brothers, should be convinced, at this time and I hope I do not have to persuade you, together with our sisters and brothers across the country, that Guyana will not allow HIV to defeat us.”
Saying that the fight against the disease must be won, he emphasised that, what has been done in the past decade, was a demonstration to Guyana and the rest of the world that “we will not allow HIV to defeat us and that we are well on the road to victory” adding that, then, HIV seemed an enemy, whose victory was inevitable and, therefore, beyond our capacity to fight.”
However, Ramsammy maintained that: “Guyanese stood firmly together and reversed the message of an inevitable victory by HIV.”
Virtually inaccessible
Noting that, a decade ago, few persons living in Guyana were aware of their HIV status as they were unaware of how to go about getting tested and the knowhow to get that done was inadequate with testing being virtually inaccessible.
Presently, though, the Minister observed that a determined effort is being made, by Government and others, to ensure persons would not have to travel to Georgetown for that purpose now. “HIV testing is now available to Guyanese wherever they live.”
It is here that the non-governmental organisation (NGO) steps in to assist Government and, as such, the LCF comes to the fore, forming a partnership with Government for a common goal, fighting the scourge of HIV and AIDS.
Against that background, the Minister declared: “None of us sees this as the exclusive responsibility of one group or the other.”
Armstrong made the observation that voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services were offered in Region 10 from 2005 and it is the policy of the Ministry of Health and the NAPS Secretariat to reach all high-risk groups.
He said since the testing for HIV began in the region, more than 15,000 people have gone through the tests and those who proved positive were enrolled in the care, treatment and support programmes.
With those results, Armstrong expressed confidence that now there is hope for those tested positive as, through the programme, persons living with AIDS can now have a better quality of life. This is because they can live longer and some of them are actively employed, and, therefore, able to provide for themselves and families.
In the region, most of all primary health care workers have been trained to be actively involved in the programme, with a large percentage of the staff of the Linden Hospital Complex and the two district hospitals at Kwakwani and Wismar, having trained personnel, too.
There are also VCT services available at four health centres and the three hospitals have prevention of mother to child transmission services at these institutions.
Singh, in her short delivery, said persons should want to know their HIV status and urged all to get involved in knowing it, as it is better to be conscious of where you are in relation to HIV.