THE National AIDS Programme Secretariat’s (NAPS) on Wednesday launched its “Week of HIV Counselling and Testing with the stark revelation that young people from amongst the 15 to 25 age groups are being diagnosed with HIV on a daily basis.And with a determined resolve by the Ministry of Public Health to change this emerging trend, NPAS is considering having HIV testing done in the upper forms in schools. This disclosure was made by Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Co-ordinator, Ms. Debra Success-Hall as she delivered brief remarks at the launch- a precursor to World AIDS Day to be observed on December 1.

Programmatic data from the NAPS has shown that locally, young people from among the ranks of the 15 to 19 and 19 to 25 age groups are becoming infected and are being diagnosed with HIV on a daily basis.

This has prompted the Ministry of Public Health to take urgent measures to ensure that something is done to reduce the number of new cases, particularly among the ranks of ‘In’ and ‘Out-of-School’ youths. To this end Minister of Public Health, George Norton, and with the support of Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings; Director of the Health Sector Development Unit (HSDU), Dr. Morris Edwards; Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Boyle; NAPS Programme Manager, Dr. Rhonda Moore and staff of NAPS, a decision was made to re-initiate and revitalise the Week of Counselling and Testing for HIV, which had been de-emphasised for some time. Also present at the launch was Permanent Secretary of the MoPH, Mr. Trevor Thomas.

“When we look at our Programmatic data, we are seeing that persons between the ages of 15 and 19 and 19 and 25 are infected; they are being diagnosed on a daily basis with HIV. And so we need to ensure that we do something urgently to ensure that we are able to decrease that,” Ms. Success-Hall said.

Concerned that the nation’s ‘In’ and ‘Out-of-School’ youths are at risk, she proposed: “We probably have to go back to the drawing board and develop a new strategy to deal with these young people.”

Success-Hall took the opportunity to ask the two ministers present to examine the possibility of a dialogue between the Ministry (NAPS) and the Ministry of Education, which will allow for the senior school children to be tested, stressing: “because it is amazing what is happening and we need to take control.”

Meantime, the Week of Testing kicked off at the NAP Secretariat yesterday, with testing being done at NAPS, 60 established sites countrywide and several private sector entities, albeit, on a smaller scale than previously. It will be conducted over a five-day period–from November 16 to 20 (Wednesday to Sunday), according to NAPS Programme Manager, Dr. Rhonda Moore.

However, while recognising and appreciating the benefits of the exercise, and after critical analysis, a decision was made to have it done on a smaller scale than previously. This is according to Director of the Health Sector Development Unit (HSDU) Dr. Morris Edwards and Programme Manager of NAPS, Dr. Rhonda Moore. For the first half of 2016 (January to July) some 40,331 persons were tested, with the second half soon to be released.

Dr. Norton, acknowledged the key players present and used to occasion to call on citizens to come on board – join with the ministry in making this initiative a success. He recalled being impressed last year, on witnessing tests being done in a number of public places around Georgetown and adding that it was a good exercise, urged the stakeholders to continue with that.

And calling on the general public to know their status, Dr. Norton said that many times there are people who do not know their status, adding that the only way they could know this is by taking the test. Minister Norton “Gone are the days when having HIV used to be a certain death sentence, but now it has become a chronic infection because of possibilities that exist now. [Like taking antiretroviral drugs exactly as prescribed by your doctor].”

And alluding to the theme of the initiative, “Test and Start a New Life”, Dr. Norton is urging those who test Negative, to stick to one partner or to ensure they engage in ‘protected sex’ only. Reiterating his call for persons to come out and get tested, the health minister affirmed: “We are here setting the pace and ask that you follow example “Know your Status.”

The launch got underway at NAPS, with the testing of volunteers by a team of trained and certified counselors sworn to confidentiality. No person should be fearful of a breach of confidentiality, Hall said, assuring that the Ministry of Health will seriously sanction any breach of confidentiality.