Way back in October of 1988, the UN General Assembly officially declared December 1 as the first World AIDS Day.
Following this declaration, each December 1st, the world stops to recognise this day and focus on our campaign on critical issues surrounding this epidemic, drawing attention to the gains that have been made and sustained since the first case was diagnosed.
HIV/AIDS continues to be a serious health challenge locally, regionally and globally and it has become a critical threat to countries’ sustainability, since it primarily affects people in their most productive years, eroding human and institutional capacities and jeopardizing the productive base of societies.
AIDS-related morbidity and mortality affect the most productive skilled and unskilled workers of society and results in enormous costs from absenteeism, recruiting and replacing lost staff, health expenditures and drops in productivity from loss of paid man hours.
Over the years, HIV/AIDS management have garnered much attention from all sectors and one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which was launched in 2000, focused on combatting HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases.
Since then, tremendous strides have been made in diagnosing and managing HIV and AIDS. Consequently the MDGs have been reviewed, and the paradigm shift is to view HIV as a chronic infection and to focus on the elimination of AIDS.
In keeping with this world view, the theme for this year’s observance of World AIDS Day is “Ending the AIDS epidemic as part of the Sustainable Development Goals”.
Regionally, we have made significant progress in stemming the tide of HIV. There has been a decline in HIV prevalence from 1.3% in 2001 to 1.1% in 2014, a 40% decrease in new infections from 2005 to 2013 and a decrease in mortality by 54% from 2005 to 2013.
In Dominica, our prevalence has been 0.75%, the Prevention of Mother to Child-Transmission of HIV/AIDS has been our most successful program, with no babies being born HIV positive during the period, 2005-2013. .
In addition, our mortality rates have decreased significantly since the implementation of anti-retroviral therapy and we continue to provide support to all affected without exception.
Much has been achieved since the first officially reported cases of AIDS over 25 years ago and the world has gained valuable knowledge on how to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, after successfully mobilizing financial and technical resources, and garnering political leadership.
Cuba was recently officially recognized by the WHO (World Health Organization) as completely eliminating Mother to Child transmission of the virus, and various other Caribbean countries are set to follow suit, including Dominica.
This is indeed a tremendous achievement and coupled with the numerous other gains the Region have made over the years, there is no doubt that AIDS can be eliminated and the vision of an AIDS-free Caribbean and the goal to halt the spread and reduce the impact of HIV is indeed within grasp.
We are confident that promoting sustainable health and development as articulated in the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework can be realized if the priority areas outlined are successfully implemented.
The Government of Dominica has ensured that the necessary structures are in place and functioning to create an enabling environment for prevention, treatment, and support for those infected with and affected by HIV.
An effective HIV/AIDS Response Program, which works collaboratively with other government and civil society organizations, has been integral in conducting educational and testing campaigns and providing the public with current data and information to make informed decisions.
Education has been and continues to be a powerful tool in fighting the epidemic and the Ministry of Health expects to see the reciprocal behavioral change associated with learning over time.
Rapid HIV-testing program is available in all the seven health districts, provided free of charge and is properly established with necessary confidential protocols to encourage all citizens to know their status. Further, the scale-up of early diagnosis and treatment combines individual clinical benefits of early treatment with
population-based benefits of the prevention of transmission.
Our Clinical Care Team provides holistic management of all diagnosed clients and medications are provided free of cost. This is supported by adequate and accessible lab monitoring which are all fundamental in achieving the goal of eliminating AIDS.
We continue to be supported by local, regional and international partners, who year after year continue to assist with sustaining our efforts at increasing the visibility of managing HIV / AIDS.
Fellow Dominicans, we can realize the goal of an AIDS-free Dominica, but we each must play our part in making this a reality.
Today, World AIDS Day is an opportunity to encourage each other to get tested. Eliminating AIDS begins with knowing your status. Remind your loved ones or community members today, support someone living with HIV to continue to access the necessary care and treatment which will improve their quality of life. Let us all
educate ourselves so that we learn to stop being discriminatory towards those who have been diagnosed. An AIDS-free Dominica means a more productive and progressive nation for a sustainable future.
The world possesses the means to reverse the epidemic, but whether or not future generations will live free from the crippling impact of HIV / AIDS will depend on the choices made we make today.
Stand up and be counted.
I thank you.
When homosexuality was removed as a mental disorder from the DSM in 1973 it was not because research had made new knowledge available. It was done for political reasons. It was dishonest how it was pulled off, and a disgrace to all concerned.
Since then bad ethics have driven the cause of so called “gay rights”. Every victory the gay movement has won has been in a vacuum created by a total lack of objectivity and logic.
In the U.K. we have Cameron saying he will not give financial aid to nations that are holding back on gay rights. In the U.S. Obama is saying he will send financial aide to homosexual lobby groups in nations that are not moving ahead with gay rights. In both cases they show a disgraceful lack of good manners and proper protocol.
If your neighbor is in need you offer a helping hand. You do it to because you care not in the hope that you will gain control over his affairs or how he raises his family.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist.
U.S. Has Patented Cure for AIDS!
It is well-known among people who care to do the research that AIDS (among other viruses) was created to depopulate the planet to make way for the New World Order (NWO). The most straight forward evidence of this are the progress reports of the U.S.
Special Virus Cancer Program, as exposed by Dr. Len Horowitz (www.tetrahedron.org) and Dr. Boyd Graves (www.boydgraves.com) and a video called “AIDS CURE: U.S. Patent #5676977 on Google video. The killer is that the U.S. has patented a cure for AIDS (go to http://www.uspto.gov, patent # 5676977). Large “humanitarian” organizations such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS and Samaritan’s Purse don’t prioritize finding a CURE for AIDS! This is not surprising considering that the heads of these major organizations are SNAKES and disgusting liars. The patent # is 5676977 and you can contact Dr. Graves at [email protected].
cont..
What the vampires are interested in is producing drugs that will only suppress the infection/disease hence the patients will have no choice but to take the meds for the rest of their lives,if they want to survive,and so..the vampires claim that’s how they are able to make a heck of a lot of the almighty dollars..
What does it profit a man or a woman to gain the whole world and only to loose his or her soul!soul!soul..
LORD have mercy upon them for they know not what they’re doing to themselves….
The world possesses the means to reverse the HIV/AIDS epidemic…yes..But because of greed at its highest the future generations living free from the crippling impact of the disease depends solely upon one person: JEHOVAH THE MOST HIGH GOD. HE is the PHYSICIAN above all physicians, HE is the SCIENTIST above all scientists, Make AIDS history is just one big hell of a fat lie from the money hungry vampires. The large pharmaceutical companies in conjunction with a large number of Health Institutions are driven more by the almighty dollar and is speaking more debris rather than giving their true motives . What does one have to do with the other..Antibiotics : by the year 2023, 2024 the vampires will no longer produce anymore. And whilst the vampires used the excuse that folks are abusing the drug,which was a big stink lie,they finally got some balls and came out with their true intentions: The vampires claim that antibiotics knock out infections and the vampires do not want that .
The government must speak about AIDS in general. Governments will not come out and outwardly condemn it, those who contract it through their own fault and those who practice homosexuality. The sad part is, those who contracted it through no fault of their own. It includes unborn babies. Wives/husbands have contracted it because one partner practiced it or had relations with someone who contracted it.
They try to water it down.
AIDS/HIV is a scourge of the latter part of the twentieth century. This is due to homosexuality. This is the result of abomination, a punishment. Why do I know? Because the Holy Bible tells me so.
Try as researchers could, there is no cure for AIDS. It appears it is here to stay until the end of the world.
We know there are different ways of contracting it from another. Do not blame those who are particularly not in the medical profession who avoid them. It is a contagious and deadly disease.
If homosexuality was the cause of Aids, thousands of politicians, bankers, lawyers and members of the aristocracy worldwide would be well gone by now. Sadly, Aids is not borne of the pink ways. It is a disease manufactured by the US to kill most of us and in the process give their big pharma friends a golden ticket until we die off.
Of course, you won’t believe me. Then don’t. Keep on believing what you are told and accept the consequences like sheep to slaughter. If you are smart and want to protect yourself, your family and friends, DO RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET NOW ON THIS!!
Some people have their personal opinions as they claim to have read it and believe it to be true. Each one of us have an opinion. My opinion is, I do not believe that the US manufactured AIDS. If so, why is it that the homosexuality population contracted it? It did not commence with heterosexual couples. Granted there are other diseases contracted by heterosexual couples. Much of this has to do with lack of cleanliness.
Some are also stating that Ebola is also US manufactured.
In bygone years there was small pox which killed many. Other minor diseases also kill people. Are they US manufactured?
If this is so as you believe, maybe you should also blame the UN. They are very much involved in approval of same sex relationships and so-called marriage; also involved in providing contraceptives to certain nations as the third world ones. They are not pleased because African leaders refuse to legislate same sex so-called marriage. Read more on this matter.
Mr. Cameron of England said that if we do not change our laws on homosexuality we will not receive aid. I suspect we are getting aids instead?
A while ago I heard that Mr. Cameron said this.
I also heard that Mr. Obama said he would send money to gay lobby groups in countries that are not going ahead with gay rights.
These men seem to be as lacking in good protocol as they are in morals.
If I saw a neighbor needed a helping hand I should do what I can to assist him. But I would never tell him he should raise his children differently, or interfere with how he managed his household. Never, never would I make my offer of help conditional, and tell him I would help him out if only he did this or stopped doing that in his family.
Cameron obviously thinks he can bribe a smaller nation into going contrary to it own sense of right and wrong to the point of actually changing its laws. This is the rudest thing I have seen in recent times. We help people because we care about them as a people not to buy control over them.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist.
Royal Fool. I expect the same courtesy and respect in the House from you that you and the speaker expect from the opposition. Roosevelt Skerrit making you lose your manners?