UNAIDS: 36 per cent unaware they have HIV

That year saw 18,000 new HIV infections, while 9,400 people died of an AIDS-related illness.

“Between 2010 and 2016, the number of AIDS-related deaths in the region fell by 28 per cent.” The statement said, in the Caribbean last year some 52 per cent of people living with AIDS/ HIV were getting treatment.

“There were less than 1,000 new HIV infections among children in the Caribbean in 2016.” UNAIDS said how the region is progressing to the 2020 target of having 90 per cent of PLWA knowing their status, 90 per cent of diagnosed people accessing treatment and 90 per cent of those treated achieving viral suppression (90-90-90). Viral suppression means the HIV virus in their blood is at undetectable levels thereby helping their health and preventing transmission to other people.

In the Caribbean, 64 per cent of PLWA know their status, 81 per cent who know their status access treatment, and 67 per cent of people on treatment achieve viral suppression.

“The region has achieved remarkable progress in expanding HIV services,” said UNAIDS.

The Caribbean has achieved strong progress in getting PLWA onto treatment and so reducing deaths due to AIDS, but gaps remain.

“In the region, four of five (81 per cent) of people living with HIV who know their status are accessing antiretroviral therapy.

This means the region as a whole is doing a fairly good job at starting people on treatment following diagnosis.

“Haiti is the only country in the region to have achieved the second target – at least 90 per cent of diagnosed people on treatment.” The statement noted a 52 per cent drop in AIDS-related deaths in the region over the past decade due to HIV treatment coverage.

“Another positive note is that the scale has tipped and more than half of all people (52 per cent) living with HIV in the region are on antiretroviral therapy.

However, there is still a significant proportion of people (48 per cent) not yet accessing treatment.” UNAIDS urged more efforts to keep PLWA in care once they have begun treatment, and lamented that one-third (33 per cent) of people on treatment do not achieve viral suppression.

“Notably, several countries are getting closer to reaching the target. Three of four people on treatment achieved viral suppression in Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.”