Minister Maginley View photo »

Fellow Citizens, WORLD AIDS DAY is commemorated around the globe on the 1st of December. It is a special day that celebrates the progress made against the pandemic and focuses on the challenges that remain ahead in combating it.

The theme for World AIDS Day 2005 is “Stop Aids. Keep the Promise”. This theme focuses on keeping the commitments to stop AIDS at all levels: personal, community, organizational, governmental, regional and international. It supports the World AIDS Campaign advocacy efforts for the fulfillment of the UN Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and subsequent policy commitments on AIDS.

Last week, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization released their annual report on the current global situation on HIV/AIDS. The report states that while HIV infection rates have decreased in several countries in Africa and the Caribbean, the global number of people living with HIV continues to rise.

Globally, 40.3 million people are infected with HIV, half of them are women. This has serious social and economic implications particularly in our region where women head many households.

Close to 5 million people were newly infected in 2005, and over half of them are young people between the ages of 15-24, the productive segment of our population.

Some countries in the Caribbean are reporting declines in HIV prevalence. These include Barbados, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Dominican Republic and Haiti. These developments give us cause for guarded optimism and are the result of behaviour changes such as increased condom use, the expansion of voluntary HIV testing and counseling and the availability of treatment.

However, in many regions the AIDS epidemic continues to worsen. The Caribbean Region still has the highest HIV prevalence rate of any region of the world outside of Sub-Saharan Africa. The AIDS epidemic has claimed an estimated 24,000 lives in 2005 making it the leading cause of death among adults aged 15-44 years. A total of 500,000 people are currently living with HIV in the region, including 30,000 people who became infected in 2005.

In Antigua, 520 cases have been reported since 1985. 29 new cases have been diagnosed between January and June of this year. While these figures may appear low, it is important to remember that most people are not aware of their HIV status and so actual figures may be much higher. Now that voluntary counseling and testing is available, we are likely to see an increase in the number of people testing positive.

While the UNAIDS report shows reasons for optimism we must not be complacent and must scale up our efforts to combat the disease. The report recommends that increased HIV prevention and treatment efforts are needed to slow and reverse the AIDS epidemic. It is also important to learn from the countries in our region that have successfully decreased their infection rates.

As part of the National Strategic plan for the expanded response to HIV/AIDS in Antigua and Barbuda, the Government through the Ministry of Health aims to:

1) improve the quality of life for all persons living with HIV/AIDS by providing comprehensive care, treatment and support and to

2) reduce the number of new infections through sustained health promotion campaigns and the prevention of mother to child transmission.

In the past in Antigua and Barbuda, many people did not know their status, there was no treatment available and there was no incentive to know if one was positive or negative. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is currently making available antiretroviral drugs that offer new hope for persons living with HIV as they can improve their quality of life and help them to stay well much longer than they otherwise would.

Additionally, voluntary counseling and testing, also called VCT has been scaled up in Antigua and Barbuda, and people are encouraged to come forward for VCT, which is now available at six health clinics in the community. Anyone wishing to be tested can request an HIV test confidentially at these sites. VCT offers the opportunity to reduce risks of acquiring or transmitting HIV. Newly diagnosed HIV positive patients are also able to receive appropriate medical care and support while those who test negative are able to renew their commitment to stay negative. Treatment availability is therefore a powerful incentive for government to support and individuals to seek out HIV prevention information and VCT.

The care and treatment of persons living with HIV/AIDS is a complicated process that requires the efforts of a multidisciplinary health care team. Earlier this year, a clinical care team was appointed. This team headed by Dr Ramsey, the clinical care coordinator, is responsible for providing high quality care to persons living with HIV/AIDS. Through the AIDS Secretariat and the clinical care coordinator the antiretroviral drugs are available free of charge to those who need them. Drugs are also available for the treatment of opportunistic infections that can occur when a persons’ immune system is compromised.

Antiretroviral drugs are also available for pregnant women who test HIV positive. The Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission programme was introduced in 1998 and to date; the records have shown that babies born to HIV positive mothers who were part of this programme have not contracted HIV. The PMTCT programme in Antigua and Barbuda has been described as a success and also as one of the best in the region.

While antiretroviral drugs are available we must not forget the importance of prevention. Prevention programmes that focus on the ABC message: Abstain, Be Faithful, and Consistent correct use of condoms are endorsed by the Ministry of Health.

Countries that have achieved success in the war on AIDS have done so through a multidimensional approach. The health sector on its own does not have the profile or the power to place and keep AIDS on the political agenda. Powerful players from all key sectors including finance, health, social transformation, education, culture, tourism, youth, sports and business need to be on board. We need to combine the human and financial resources of the government, the private sector, civil society and faith based organization to make an impact on this epidemic. For this reason, my government will appoint a National Advisory Committee to ensure that HIV/AIDS remains a national priority.

A greater involvement of persons living with HIV is also critical to our response to the epidemic. The Health, Hope and HIV Network is a nongovernmental organization dedicated to the enlightenment, and empowerment of persons living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Partnerships with such organizations are essential, as persons living with HIV need to have a say in the programme and policy decisions that affect them.

Stigma and discrimination against a person because of their HIV status have reduced the efforts to control the epidemic and are a major cause of the spread of this disease. Stigma can prevent people from negotiating safer sex, taking an HIV test, disclosing their status to their partners or seeking treatment, even when it is available. Discrimination drives the epidemic underground. Many people have been denied their jobs, insurance coverage, work permits and freedom of movement because of their HIV status. Early next year, we will undertake a law, ethics and human rights review in order to review national policy and legislation and address HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination.

One can support World AIDS Day by raising the issue of HIV and AIDS awareness in the home, schools or workplace. Also one can wear a red ribbon as a sign of support for persons living with HIV and a symbol of hope for the future. We also want to remember our friends and colleagues that we have lost.

I would like to encourage you to get involved in the number of activities organized during this week by the AIDS Secretariat and the many nongovernmental organizations that have joined hands to support this cause.

This weekend, the Health, Hope and HIV Network will be organizing a Walk A Thon on Saturday the 3 rd December. Also, the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association in collaboration with the AIDS Secretariat will be staging a double header on Sunday 4th December at the Antigua Recreation Grounds as part of the World AIDS Day celebrations.

Finally, I would like to thank the staff of the AIDS Secretariat for their continued dedication to the fight. I would like to thank those agencies and private business places that have helped to create awareness by wearing the Red Ribbon today as a symbol of solidarity.

The World AIDS Campaign call to stop AIDS encourages everyone everywhere to be part of the solution. As governments, communities and individuals, we must work together to prevent HIV, to treat every person living with HIV with respect and dignity, and to support programmes to provide care and treatment. World AIDS Day is the perfect time for every individual, community and government to recommit themselves to these ideals. Together let us” Stop AIDS: Keep the promise.”