AIDS DEATHS COSTING INSURANCE INDUSTRY

This was disclosed by Sir George Alleyne, UN special Envoy for HIV/AIDS for the Caribbean, as he outlined the rationale for private sector involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS at the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce/Pan Caribbean Executive Forum on HIV/AIDS on Monday at Crowne Plaza.

Alleyne said the insurance company had to pay out $704,000 over the past five years due to AIDS deaths. Ten percent of deaths among policyholders in the past five years were due to AIDS, he added. He said the information indicated the possible impact of HIV/AIDS on the insurance industry. Alleyne said the macro-economic impact of the disease on business was decreased profitability and it was good corporate citizenship to get involved. Speaking on the role of business, he said workplace policies and programmes should be established and disseminated among workers. Alleyne said educating workers could have a "multiplying" effect in communities.

He noted that much of the reduction of stigma and discrimination can be done by businesses going into communities. Alleyne said marketing, advertising, messaging and brand promotion were skills "unique" to the business sector and called for these talents to be used in AIDS programmes.

There were 53,000 new HIV infections last year, with 20 percent in Caricom countries.

Alleyne said HIV/AIDS is yet to plateau in the Caribbean and the number of cases "slowly continues to rise." The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre and Centres for Disease Control (Atlanta) have predicted a rise in HIV/AIDS cases. Alleyne said if the spread of antiretroviral therapy is as good as the Caribbean has said then AIDS death will decline and the number of people getting treatment would significantly increase. "Emphasis should be placed on preventing the epidemic not just treating those who are infected."

During the forum, Alleyne wanted to know why so many people were against procedures effected to reduce stigma and discrimination and why the idea of condoms in Caribbean prisons cause people to protest. Alleyne said homophobia was so rampant in the Caribbean it prevented rational discussion and called for dialogue and debate about the difference between sin and crime.