NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said yesterday that the end of the AIDS epidemic in The Bahamas “is in sight,” with the country recording a 53 percent decline in new diagnoses between 2010 and 2019.
Darville said The Bahamas has “come a long way” while speaking at a press conference to provide an update on the country’s fight against HIV/AIDS.
Darville said that the National HIV and AIDS programme continues to show encouraging results.
He said The Bahamas’ efforts are aligned with the UNAIDS global fast-track strategy to end AIDs by 2030 with targets of having 95 percent of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status; 95 percent of people who know their status on treatment; and 95 percent of people on treatment with suppressed viral loads.
“The Bahamas has reached the moment where we can say that tremendous progress has been made and end of the AIDS epidemic is in sight,” said Darville.
Dr Nikkiah Forbes Director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme noted that at the end of 2021 there were 4,447 persons living with HIV in The Bahamas.
Forbes noted that there has been remarkable progress in terms of the decline in new infections, with new diagnoses having decreased by 53 percent between 2010 and 2019.
“AIDS deaths, that is something we know is preventable once people are on treatment and getting effective care; that has decreased by 40 percent between 2010 and 2019. We are very happy to report that in 2021 we achieved diagnoses of 94 recent of persons living with HIV in The Bahamas by our estimate,” said Forbes.
She noted that 73 percent of infected persons are on treatment, the highest number seen in the program to date, and 81 percent of persons receiving treatment having achieved viral suppression.
According to Forbes, the number of persons receiving treatment for HIV in the country has nearly doubled since the end of 2012 to 2021, with 1,043 persons on HIV treatment in 2013 and 3,047 in 2021.
“We have made tremendous strides as it relates to treatment,” said Forbes, who noted that treatment is free for all persons in The Bahamas.
Loading ...
