San Fernando Mayor laments rise in AIDS cases

CITING statistics which showed that between 1992 to 2003 the HIV/AIDS infection rate had risen fivefold from 2,246 detected cases to 11,341 cases, San Fernando Mayor Ian Atherly yesterday lamented the sharp increase in AIDS cases in this country.

The Mayor gave these sobering statistics during the launch of a rally along Harris Pro-menade, San Fernando, organised by Red Cross patrons of St Patrick, South-Eastern and Victoria districts of the Ministry of Education, in commemoration of World AIDS Day. The Mayor revealed that by the end of 1999, some 34.3 million people were estimated to be living with HIV worldwide. However, new global estimates released last week and based on improved data, showed that about 40 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS, including an estimated 4.5 million children under the age of 15. “Health professionals and other concerned individuals believe that the one factor that stands out among initiatives from all sectors, is a focussed, strong and determined political will across nations to combat the AIDS virus,” he stated.

Referring to a previous speech by Prime Minister Patrick Manning during a development programme hosted by the United Nations, Atherly said that combating HIV/AIDS was engaging the attention of the highest levels of Government in Trinidad and Tobago. “HIV/AIDS was placed on the agenda of an Inter-Ministerial and Civil Service Standing Committee of Cabinet, which was formulating a social sector strategy for development,” Atherly disclosed. Earlier this year, the Trinidad and Tobago Government announced the allocation of $600 million towards the fight against the deadly disease.