Society Must Change Attitude to HIV/AIDS Sufferers

Contact: John Emmanuel

Wednesday, November 21, 2001 - A significant reduction over the years in the price of antiviral drugs in the region has done little to improve the quality of life of HIV sufferers in the Caribbean.

That’s the view being expressed by the Director of the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC).  Dr. James Hospedales said the high level of stigma and discrimination being exhibited by society, further compounds the poor quality of life for HIV sufferers.  His comments came as Saint Lucia played host to scores of National AIDS Programme Co-ordinators from the Caribbean who ended a two-day meting in Saint Lucia at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Rodney Bay on Wednesday, November 21, 2001.

“We still find that far too often people in the Caribbean are losing their jobs just because they have HIV and it’s not initiated from a public health point of view. People are being thrown out of the families and their communities and we’ve got to work together to reverse that,” Hospedales said.

He noted, “Individuals, families, communities and countries have to grapple with this phenomenon whilst countries on a regional level will have to put in place policy measures and legislation to address the issue more forcefully.”

In the CARICOM area it is estimated that approximately one hundred and thirty thousand people are living with HIV/AIDS.

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Search for 2001 Press Releases ] [Site Help]

© 2001 Government Information Service. All rights reserved.

Read our privacy guidelines.