Latest update March 29th, 2025 5:38 AM
Guyana’s most productive age group still most affected by HIV/AIDS
As the fight against HIV/AIDS continue to wage in Guyana, the 25-49 age group remains the group
Director of NAPS
Dr Shanti Singh
most affected by the deadly disease.
According to recent data coming out of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), this age group accounted for approximately 61.7% (463) of the new cases recorded in 2014. Though NAPS has been making progress over the years in tackling the disease, Guyana’s most productive age group has remained the most difficult faction to tackle and has consistently remained the most affected age range.
NAPS data showed that in the productive group, the highest number of cases was recorded in the age range 30-34. That group had 118 new cases while the 25-29 group followed closely with 115 cases.
During a recent presentation, NAPS’ Programme Manager Shanti Singh also noted with interest, that persons age 50 and above was being diagnosed with HIV. “We’ve seen over the past two years that there has been an increase in these numbers,” Singh said.
She said too, that NAPS had recognised a shift in the male to female ratio. She said that, during 2010 to 2012, there had been fewer males than females diagnosed HIV positive. “At least, those that were reported and came into the surveillance department,” Singh said. She went on, “But we’re seeing a trend where the male to female ratio is on an upward trajectory. So, while it’s just for two years – 2013 and 2014 – it’s something we’re paying keen attention to. It’s too early to say if it’s a trend or not, but it’s something we’re looking at.”
The NAPS Director also revealed that there were 751 new HIV cases and 105 reported cases of AIDS in 2014. Fifty-three of these cases were advanced. However, Singh added, the proportion of all deaths attributable to AIDS has been steadily declining over the years.
Meanwhile, Region #4 had the highest proportion of HIV cases at 75.4% in 2013. Dr. Singh noted though, that Region #4 was Guyana’s most densely populated region. The second most affected region was Region #2 at 9.57%.
Meanwhile, Singh indicated that HIV and tuberculosis (TB) co-infection continues to be a problem that NAPS is constantly attacking. However, she said, “We’ve seen from about 2012 a sort of a downward decline in terms of co-infection rates, recording about 22% in 2014 compared to 31% in 2012.”
According to Singh, a number of challenges had arisen over time. These challenges, she said, included the transitioning of human resources, reaching the key populations, and the underperforming of some treatment sites.
Despite its challenges, Singh said that NAPS is determined to continue in its fight. That determination has seen the Secretariat distributing more than 2.5 million condoms in 2014.
NAPS is currently in the process of creating a report for UNAIDS. According to Singh, the Global AIDS Progress Report is usually due every two years. However, she said, UNAIDS requested a one year report for 2014 because this year is the realization of Millennium Development Goals.
The report is also privy to an oversight committee including members of NAPS, civil society, PAHO/WHO, and UNICEF.
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