BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE number of people dying from the HIV/AIDs in the region is on the decline by more than 30 percent from 2010 to 2019.
That is according to data provided by the Pan American Health Organisation, which indicated that the annual deaths from AIDS-related illnesses in Caribbean countries have declined by 37% from 2010 through 2019.
From the new infections’ perspective, the hemispheric health body disclosed that new yearly infections from the HIV virus have dropped by 29%, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) said today (Dec. 1).
In a statement, PAHO attributed the successful declining numbers to the increased testing and improvement in the delivery of lifelong antiretroviral treatment. The Caribbean has been seen as one of the areas with high incidences of HIV/AIDS.
The high instances have led to regional governments and other health agencies partnering to launch a number of initiatives geared at tackling the problem and has led to the decline in annual deaths from about 11,000 in 2010 to 6,900 in 2019.
The decline in infections resulted from various preventive measures including use of medications taken before and after contact with someone with HIV, which are known as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis).
The number of infections dropped from about 18,000 in 2010 to 13,000 in 2019.
PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne acknowledged the success Caribbean countries have made over the last decade, adding: “However, the COVID-19 pandemic is now endangering this hard-won success. We must work harder to move forward along the road to entirely eliminating AIDS, which causes untold human suffering.”
Data from health officials in St. Kitts and Nevis, as at the end of 2019, showed that there were approximately 180 people diagnosed with the ailment.
