(Trinidad Express) An estimated 22,085 people in Trinidad and Tobago are living with HIV, according to UNAIDS Strategic Intervention Adviser Dr Miriam Chipimo.
The number of new cases has also increased in recent years which is quite alarming, Chipimo said.
Chipimo was speaking at a breakfast meeting yesterday at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Port of Spain.
The meeting was an initiative of the Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development held in collaboration with the National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
“We have to ask ourselves why this is so, given the investment in educating the population on HIV and AIDS over so many years. Clearly this is not translating into behaviour change and behaviour modification to reduce sexual transmission,” Chipimo said.
“Even more concerning is that there is an increase in the number of AIDS-related deaths from 42 in 2011 to 55 in 2012, an indication of the quality of care for people living with HIV.”
Of particular concern, Chipimo said, was persons being afraid to get tested for HIV.
“Two out of five people will not get an HIV test because they fear the results may not remain confidential and they might be stigmatised should they test positive,” she said.
