54 per cent decline in AIDS related deaths since 2001

Dec 02, 2013 News

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In 2012, 100,000 persons living with HIV in the Region were on antiretroviral treatment, a state of affairs which translates to 20 times more people than 10 years ago. Moreover, this has resulted in a 54 per cent decline in AIDS related deaths since 2001.
This is according to information emanating from UNAIDS, even as the world commemorated World AIDS Day yesterday.
UNAIDS has established that most countries in the Region are on track to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2015 due to pregnant women’s increasing access to HIV testing and treatment.

In fact, according to the UN body, the overall new HIV infection rate has declined by 49 per cent since 2001.
But despite the evident progress, there remains the barriers of stigma, denial and complacency hampering efforts, UNAID says. “Prejudice towards people living with HIV and key populations such as men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, people who use drugs, homeless people and prisoners, remain a major obstacle to expanding access to HIV services.” This development has therefore served to hinder people’s ability to live full and productive lives of dignity.
Already, it has been established that, “there are several manifestations of stigma and discrimination, including rejection or abandonment by family; denial of education, employment or housing; verbal or physical abuse; reluctance to provide services and exclusion.” The experience and fear of stigma and discrimination, UNAIDS noted, has served to prevent many people from accessing health care, including HIV testing and treatment and therefore makes it difficult for some to disclose their HIV status to loved ones or to stick to their treatment.
“We are making progress but we are still battling prejudice. These prejudices are based on fear, ignorance and judgment. We can get to zero new cases of HIV, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero stigma and discrimination, if we learn to talk about sex and sexuality and refuse to discriminate because of difference,” said UNAIDS Caribbean Regional Support Team Director, Dr. Ernest Massiah.
As a result, UNAIDS Caribbean is supporting the Region-wide “Justice For All” effort, spearheaded by the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, Dr. Edward Greene, and the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP).
This is likely to see a series of country-level and regional dialogues with governments, civil society, faith groups, the private sector and young people on how to build solidarity and tolerance for everyone, regardless of race, class, gender or sexual orientation. “No-one should experience discrimination…We can all make a difference by reaching out and letting people lead a life of dignity, irrespective of who they are,” Massiah stressed.
And so, with emphasis on an end to discrimination, as part of its observance of World AIDS Day yesterday, UNAIDS has launched a new Zero Discrimination campaign with Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
The campaign is aimed at generating public support for ending discrimination and is in fact anchored by the premise that the world can only move towards ending the AIDS epidemic if it ends discrimination.
In a statement to mark the auspicious day, Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS stated that, “…as we gather to remember friends and family lost to AIDS—we can also rejoice in incredible hope for the future.”

He underscored that “for the first time we can see an end to an epidemic that has wrought such staggering devastation around the world. For the first time we can say that we are beginning to control the epidemic and not that the epidemic is controlling us.”
The achievement, Sidibé stressed, was realized despite the belief of a few that it was impossible.
He confidently amplified that progress is clear in the scientific breakthroughs, visionary leadership and precision programming even as he pointed out that the combination of these powerful factors mean that people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives. They can also now protect their partners from becoming infected, and can keep their children free from HIV.
However, he noted that while the end of AIDS is yet a complex notion, UNAIDS, together with The Lancet, have set up a Commission to find answers to what ending AIDS will look like.
The UNAIDS Executive Director is certain though that ending the AIDS epidemic will mean a lot to many. “It will mean zero new HIV infections, zero people dying of AIDS—and all people living with dignity and without fear of discrimination. Ending AIDS will mean celebrating birthdays instead of attending funerals,” asserted Sidibé.
According to him, the world is poised to end AIDS “and if we stay true to our vision, we will remember this as the day that a lifetime of dreams began to transform into reality.”
“But make no mistake, stigma, denial and complacency are still among us, putting us in danger of failing the next generation. We must join our hearts and our voices––together we are stronger,” Sidibé added.
Meanwhile, on the local scene, a World AIDS Day Ribbon Light-up was held Saturday evening in the compound of the Berbice Regional Health Authority, to mark World AIDS Day 2013, which was celebrated worldwide yesterday.

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