THA declares war on HIV/Aids

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) yesterday approved a motion to begin a massive drive to fight HIV/Aids with a treatment facility to begin operating on April 15 and an injection of $14 million in this financial year to fight the disease.

The motion received the full support of both sides of the House after it was introduced by THA Secretary for Health and Social Services, Cynthia Alfred at the monthly plenary sitting of the House in Scarborough. “We are going to wage a war on HI/Aids and I’m talking within the next few weeks. We are taking the fight to every community in Tobago. We are not waiting for people to come forward. We are going to every community and we are going to wage a war,” Alfred said. The THA will follow a report by the Health and Economy Unit of the University of the West Indies that outlined nine positions that should be followed. The consultant to the entire programme is Dr Raymond Noel, a citizen of this country who resides in Atlanta Georgia. He has successfully conducted programmes that tackle the virus in the US and across the world.

The first proposal in the report is for evidence based planning led by intensive surveillance and research. Alfred explained that in this regard, Dr Noel was given a bursary to study abroad and to gather fresh information to assist in the fight of HIV/Aids. The report proposed enhanced political leadership. Alfred pointed out that the Executive Council of the THA had approved the programme and that Prime Minister Patrick Manning had also given his full support. She noted that the Government had already pledged in the 2002/2003 Budget, $500 million to fight HIV/Aids. Thirdly, the report recommended the development of strong leadership. The THA will establish a Commission on HIV/Aids and Substance Abuse within three weeks to take the programme forward. It shall involve persons living with HIV/Aids, the Tobago Regional Health Authority, the THA Divisions of Youth, Legal Affairs, Health, Planning and Finance, Education, trade unions, the business sector, the media, non-governmental organisations and community based groups. Training shall be given to several persons to conduct testing and to serve as counsellors, support units and psychiatrists.