Grove Park, CHARLESTOWN (December 3rd 2009) - Nevis Health Minister Hon. Hensley Daniel on Tuesday (Dec. 1) called on youth to abstain from early sex in order to protect themselves against the HIV virus.
Hon. Daniel was the official guest at this year’s World AIDS Day celebrations marked by a march from Methodist Church to Grove Park. The theme this year is “ Human Rights and Universal Access”.
The Minister said abstinence and behaviour change were key in the fight against HIV/AIDS. “The only free persons of the virus are those who abstain. Abstinence is no offence,” he told participants who were mainly students.
He said early sex and having multiple partners drive the epidemic. “If we change our behaviour we will reduce the incidences of HIV/AIDS. Children of age 16 should abstain,” the Minister said.
Founder and Executive Director of Pink Lily, who was also at the celebrations, called on Nevisians to support HIV/AIDS programmes and appealed to the youth to abstain from early sex.
National Health Planner Nicole Slack Liburd told the participants that according to the United Declaration of Human Rights everybody had a right to health including those who test positive for HIV/AIDs.
She said those who are living with HIV in St. Kitts and Nevis were privileged, as they could access ARVS free. She said the treatment drugs for persons living with HIV were funded by Global Fund. She however said the Global Fund, like any other fund, is affected by world recession. Ms. Liburd said there was need to access funds from other sources early enough to guarantee treatment and availability of information.
Asked whether vulnerable populations such as men having sex with men and sex workers were being reached to access drugs, she said: “We have to commend work of Caribbean Alliance in their outreach to vulnerable populations. Their needs are being addressed. We need to step up programmes to access these people.”
National HIV/AIDS Coordinator Nadine Caines thanked all the participating groups and individuals: “While it was a little difficult to plan due to world recession, everybody worked well. We got the support we needed. We will step up our events next year; we will have more fun and entertainment.”
On Saturday, the Nevis HIV/HIV AIDS Unit coordinated a Run/Walk for Hope. Participants ran and walked from Cotton Ground to Charlestown.
Nevis HIV/AIDS Unit has additional activities to mark this year’s World AIDS Day, and among them is a Think Red Cocktail and Award Ceremony on December 12 at the Golden Rock Hotel from 7:00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m.
According to Ms. Caines, the objective of the Cocktail is to raise funds so that should donor funding shrink due to world recession programmes could continue. “It is also our way of kicking off the Christmas season,” Ms. Caines said.
She also announced that VCT day is on December 16 in the compound of the Ministry of Health (MOH). Ms. Caines noted that those who come out for testing would get results the same day. She revealed that last year 88 persons came out for VCT.
Asked how the programmes were impacting on behaviour change, Caines said Nevisians are supportive of the HIV/AIDS Unit’s activities but yet, “there was no evidence based on research to indicate the impact on behaviour change”. She said a survey was underway to assess behaviour change.
