Latest update March 12th, 2026 9:56 PM
HIV infections set to fall
…as most of 7,800 on treatment achieve viral suppression– Anthony
(Kaieteur News) – Guyana is projecting a decline in new Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections this year, with nearly 7,800 persons living with HIV currently on antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) and the majority achieving viral suppression, according to Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony.
Dr. Anthony made the disclosure on Friday during the consideration of the Ministry of Health’s 2026 estimates and expenditure by the Committee of Supply. We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Member of Parliament Natasha Singh-Lewis questioned the targeted reduction in the incidence of HIV for 2026 and asked the Minister to outline the interventions supporting the projected decline.
Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony
Minister Anthony explained that HIV incidence refers to the number of new cases recorded annually and noted that the ministry has strengthened its prevention and transmission efforts. “We have a number of preventative programs,” Dr. Anthony said.
He highlighted ongoing public education campaigns and the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for persons who consider themselves at risk. The ministry also distributes close to five million condoms annually as part of its national prevention drive. Dr. Anthony said another key intervention is ensuring that persons living with HIV are placed on treatment and achieve viral suppression, significantly reducing the risk of transmission.
“So, if you manage people who already are infected with HIV, and you get them to be virally suppressed, it means that they cannot transmit to somebody else. So, what we have been doing is working to ensure that most of our patients are virally suppressed… So once they are virally suppressed, they cannot transmit, and that has also contributed to the reduction in cases. That does not mean that we have to that we don’t have to be vigilant,” he stated.
The Minister noted that close to 7,800 patients are currently on ARVs, with most virally suppressed. He added that the ministry has procured laboratory equipment to conduct viral load testing, allowing for closer monitoring of patients on treatment.
Addressing concerns about access to services in hinterland regions such as Regions One, Eight and Nine, Dr. Anthony said primary healthcare physicians across the country have been trained to manage HIV cases, reducing reliance on a centralised system. Complicated cases, he explained, are referred to specialists when necessary, but most patients now live long, healthy lives on ARVs.
“Before HIV was like a death sentence, so when people get it after a couple of years, you see they progress to AIDS and they die.”
“Now we don’t see that most of our patients are living and most of them probably died from something else, heart disease or some other thing. So, they do very well on the ARVs and that, I think that, in itself, has been a success story for the HIV programme,” Dr. Anthony added.
He further disclosed that the HIV programme is also being used as an entry point to test for and treat other sexually transmitted infections, including syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. “So, we have been setting up clinics, going out, raising awareness and while we are doing it for HIV, there are also a number of STIs that we look for,” he noted.
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