By Ariana Gordon in New York

Guyana through its Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton has called on global leaders to adopt fast-track measures to end AIDS in the age of sustainable vevelopment.In his speech on Wednesday at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, in New York, Dr Norton stressed the need for all stakeholders to charter the course in ending the epidemic by 2030.
“The fast track approach is needed. This meeting therefore Mr. Chairman, must deliberate carefully on the roll out the fast track approach, particularly focusing on strategies that will assist countries and regions to do,’ said the Minister of Public Health
He also emphasised the need for the required financial resources to be carefully considered and made accessible to countries that are in dire need of support – countries that are facing the brunt of the epidemic.
Guyana, the Minister of Public Health assured, has come a long way in its fight against AIDS but noted that eliminating the scourge completely by 2030 will require tremendous effort.
“Guyana is ready to embark on this journey with each one of you to end AIDS. Our Government has already indicated our intent to test and treat, we have scaled up our testing services in a strategic way to ensure maximum yield, targeting the right persons, in the right places and at the right time,” Dr Norton added.
Guyana, he said, has witnessed a steady reduction in HIV prevalence among the general population from 3.4% in 2004 to 1.4% in 2013. At the end of 2014, a total of 751 cases of people living with HIV were diagnosed compared with 758 cases reported in 2013. These statistics the Minister said continues to represent a significant reduction when compared to the 1,176 HIV cases reported in 2009.
In order to continue reducing new infections or sustaining people living with HIV/AIDS, closer collaboration with national, regional and international partners will be required.
He said too that the Guyana Government is fully committed to ending the epidemic by 2030 and is building on the lessons of shared experience within the context of the country’s Health Vision 2020 (HIVision 2020) that provides a holistic framework for the national health response.
The Public Health Minister noted that important in the ending of AIDS is the elimination of stigma and discrimination and as such bold targets have been made to prevent stigma and discrimination.
Within the HIVision 2020 framework, Guyana’s HIV/AIDS response is guided by a comprehensive strategy, and is financed from the national budget integrating relevant UNAIDS targets, and drawing on best practices and the support of key partners, including the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), and the US PEPFAR programme
Guyana, the Minister said has also been successful in reducing deaths to HIV/AIDS from a peak in 2005, and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. He said too that the marked success is as a result of Guyana’s HIVision 2020 which is underpinned by the principles of human rights, gender equality, inclusiveness, accountability, value for money and sustainability and supported by a multi-stakeholder partnership.
Its goal is “to reduce the social and economic impact of HIV and AIDS on individuals and communities and ultimately the development of the country.”
It focuses on five priority areas: Coordination; Prevention; Treatment, Care and Support; Integration and Strategic Information. The programmatic response of the government has thus been grounded in these overarching principles throughout the national HIV response.
The national response, Dr Norton added, has placed a strong emphasis on prevention, treatment, care and support. In 2014, more than 5,000 health care workers were trained in a wide cross-section of areas to assist in the fight.
These efforts were also focused on reaching the masses in the areas of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), HIV sensitisation, voluntary counselling testing (VCT), or prevention of mother to child transmission to name a few. Focussing on youth, the Youth Friendly Health Services Initiative continued providing sexual and reproductive health services to adolescents.
“Worthy of mention is that in 2014 there was a decrease in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). 5,127 cases were reported, which was a decrease, from the 6,777 cases reported in 2013. 42% of the cases reported were within the age group 15-24.”
On the financial front, Dr Norton made it clear that there is a great need for adequate financial resources to fast track weak countries’ approach to ending AIDS by 2030.
“I know that through the Global Fund and PEPFAR, many countries have made significant dents in their epidemics.
“Guyana is a good example of how support from these two funding mechanisms and other partners has moved our country to place where HIV is now manageable, new infections and AIDS related deaths have reduced and People living with HIV have better quality of live,’ said the appreciative Minister of Public Health.
Guyana remains concerned, however, that countries of the region continue to be excluded from funding as a result of being categorized with Middle or High Income Country status.
“The focus for financial assistance in combating this disease should not only be on Small Income Countries, but rather developing countries as a whole.”
Dr Norton called for the application of every avenue and strategy available when addressing prices for ARVs and HIV commodities when addressing the issues surrounding the response to the key populations and persons in difficult circumstances.
At the UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, Minister Norton said funding programmes such as the Global Fund and PEPFAR have saved many lives and prevented new infections in Guyana and across the globe. He noted that the increasing domestic funding by countries as part of its shared responsibility and global solidarity is a welcome trend that ought to continue for sustainability of the AIDS response.
“Despite the commendable global and national efforts, Guyana acknowledges the risk posed by maintaining the current level of HIV service that will result in a rebound in the epidemic,” said Norton who called for front-loading and increased investments to fast-track the AIDS response; adoption of ambitious bold targets ; access for all including fragile communities; health systems strengthening; continued strong and efficient global partnership; effective accountability; and the application of the model of the AIDS response to support results for the SDGs.
Guyana, the Minister of Public Health said lauds the achievements of the 2011 UN Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS including reaching the target of 15M persons living with HIV (PLHV) on antiretroviral treatment (ART) by 2015.
Dr Norton said he is pleased with the recently released UNAIDS report on the status of the epidemic but noted that more than half of the estimated persons who need the ARV are not receiving same.
“The similar parallel can be drawn in my own country, where in 2015, about three of every five people living with HIV in Guyana were receiving antiretroviral therapy (58%), up from approximately one in five ten years ago (22%). We have made progress, but the evidence is clear that there is role for treatment as prevention and test and treat works.”
Given the aforementioned, the Minister of Public Health, said it is imperative that stakeholders work assiduously to recognise the gaps in their HIV response.
“We cannot end AIDS if persons are not antiretroviral therapy, leaving persons living with the disease behind, is NOT an option,” stated Dr Norton.