28,000 Trinis living with HIV/AIDS

Dr Nilesh Buddha of the Ministry of Health’s National Surveillance Unit (NSU), in his presentation on "HIV/AIDS Surveillance in TT" at a breakfast meeting at the Courtyard Marriott yesterday, reported that a daily average of four new HIV cases were recorded for last year.

The total HIV cases from 1983-2004 were 14,535. For the same period, the total AIDS cases was 5,365, with total deaths at 3,273. The majority of infections — 70 percent — were in the 15-49 age group. Of this group, 70 percent of new infections occurred in females.

Despite the data collected, there are gaps. Dr Bhudda said, "Less than five percent of the cases which we know about, we have data on socio-economic aspects, condom usage, partner information."

He said the availability of antiretroviral therapy has resulted in a reduction in AIDS deaths over the past three to four years. "Clearly prevention, care and treatment work and they work very well, and more and more sustained efforts will be required to provide antiretroviral therapy for individuals."

Bhudda also presented data showing a decrease (from 2003) in recently acquired infections in women 15-24 years old. He maintained that the downward trend would depend on "concerted efforts from prevention, treatment and care."

St George West, which includes Diego Martin, Carenage, Maraval and Port-of-Spain, was described as the "epicentre" of the HIV/AIDS incidence, but there was also a large "unknown" about which the NSU would like to get more information.

Commenting on newly diagnosed HIV infections by year (1991-2004), Bhudda said "on average" 10,000 samples were sent to the Public Health Laboratory (PHL) for testing and "by and large close to 1,000 samples were found to be positive, which suggested a ten percent positive rate."

More than 80 percent of the total samples sent for testing at the Trinidad Public Health Laboratory were positive for HIV last year. Bhudda said the NSU still did not know what was happening in the private sector, since people also went abroad for testing.

New guidelines have been established by the NSU for better reporting and tracking of the disease. For instance, the PHL reports positive results to the provider (requesting the test), the County Medical Officer of Health and NSU. The county then fills out post-test forms to send to the NSU. Bhudda said post-testing was not only about filling out a form, but counselling and contact tracing.