| As part of the activities leading up to the observance of World AIDS Day, which will be celebrated around the world on December 1, the Ministry of Health will be designating November 21 as the National Day of Testing for HIV in Guyana.During a press conference yesterday at the Ministry of Health, Brickdam, Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said that his ministry has targeted 10,000 persons to be tested during that week.Last year, the ministry had initially targeted 2,500 persons to be tested, but exceeded that number and, as such, decided to aim higher this year.The National Day of Testing will be held under the theme ‘Take action: Take the test.’Voluntary counselling and testing sites (VCT), prevention of mother-to-child transmission sites and all temporary sites will be established at various locations across the country, and will be manned by trained and certified personnel.Minister Ramsammy said that these activities are all part of the awareness and prevention efforts being made by the ministry leading up to World AIDS Day.Other activities also include a conference for faith-based leaders, which will be held on December 11 and which will see the participation of leaders from across the world, such as from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean regions. “While the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Health, will take the lead in ensuring health for all and preventing HIV infection, everyone has a part to play. It is encouraging to note the growing interest and involvement of the NGOs and faith-based organisations in the fight against HIV,” Minister Ramsammy said. On December 12, there will be a conference on Chronic Diseases,Cheap Nike Air Max 90 Mens Trainers, where the keynote speaker will be Sir George Alleyne, the UN Ambassador for HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean region.The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Health will also be hosting the annual Tour Guyana cycle race in an effort to raise awareness on issues relating to HIV/AIDS.This year’s race is being held under the theme “Riding for Life 2”. It is intended to increase awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among participants and the general public; to increase HIV/AIDS activism and volunteerism among the participants; and to inspire them to become ambassadors in the fight against HIV/AIDS.As part of this venture, cyclists will be trained as peer educators before the race. HIV/AIDS and related information and education will be disseminated to spectators in Regions Two, Three, Four,Ales Hemsky Jersey, Five, Six and Ten.In addition, NGOs and peer educators along the route and starting positions will engage members of the public with HIV/AIDS communication activities.October 24 will see the Ministers of Health and Labour,Nike Roshe Run Women, along with AFC Parliamentarians, getting tested at the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS).There will also be a health fair and concert at Parade Ground on December 1,Clark Griswold Jersey, as WORLD AIDS Day (WAD) will be observed under the theme ‘Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise – leadership.’It was explained that “Leadership” highlights the need for innovation, vision and perseverance in the face of the AIDS challenge. The campaign calls on all sectors of society, such as families, communities and civil society organizations, rather than just governments, to take the initiative and provide leadership on AIDS.According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007, some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25, and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.Around 95 per cent of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations.“But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world. HIV/AIDS does not discriminate,” Minister Ramsammy said.It is estimated that there are 12,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS in Guyana. In this regard, Dr Ramsammy said, the country has made positive strides in denting the prevalence of HIV. Before 2001, he said, the prevalence rate was 3.2 per cent. Currently, the prevalence rate is between 1 and 1.5 per cent of the population infected, and approximately 500 new infections are occurring every year.Minister Ramsammy noted that, as of last July, there were approximately 2,228 persons accessing treatment at 16 treatment sites across the country, including one mobile unit that goes to Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.Of the 2,228 persons on treatment,Cheap NHL Jerseys, 154 of them are children. In addition, there are 1,226 persons who are not on anti-retroviral treatment but who access other care and support programmes at the various treatment sites.Overall, there are 3,454 persons on the national treatment and care programme.Minister Ramsammy also explained that the pneumococcus vaccine has been introduced for children who are exposed to HIV. He noted that Guyana is among the first countries to have introduced the vaccine.Dr Ramsammy said that HIV among the commercial sex worker population has declined, and the ministry now has information in terms of their behaviour patterns.At the end of this year, the Ministry of Health will release the information, and the ministry is currently conducting new behavioural surveillance surveys (BSS) in certain vulnerable groups and certain populations.“So we are not only doing prevention work… we are not only doing treatment work and home-based care, but we are also monitoring the population in terms of behaviour pattern, so as to determine whether all of what we are doing is having an impact on people’s behaviour, and whether people are making positive choices in our national effort to combat HIV,” Minister Ramsammy said.He said that people have to concede that more people around the world know about HIV and AIDS, and they are knowledgeable on what actions must be taken to prevent the transmission.“So I think that globally we have succeeded in getting information… we still have some work to do. The problem is, having the information doesn’t automatically mean that people will change their behaviour. This is our challenge in Guyana. Young people and not so young people, they know what is the right thing to do, but then they go and do something that puts them at risk,” Dr Ramsammy said.As such,Nike Air Max 2018 Mens Shoes, the Health Minister noted, the ministry has been aggressively enhancing its prevention programme, and tools will have to be made available, such as condoms for males and females, in order to prevent the transmission of the virus. Dr. Ramsammy also said that the ministry is still promoting abstinence amongst very young people, but the ministry also understands that it is a very difficult thing for people to comply with, and so safe sex has to be more actively promoted. |
