December 1st is celebrated throughout the world as WORLD AIDS DAY. This year’s theme is “Hands Up for HIV Prevention.” The Caribbean Region still reports the second highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the world, after Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, 1 in 3 persons with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean do not know that they have it. This results in further spread of the disease. The statistics for St Lucia are still a serious concern. St Lucia has the second highest number of people living with HIV in the Eastern Caribbean – a total of 500. St. Vincent and the Grenadines has the highest number of people living with HIV – approximately 850. Furthermore, all countries in the Eastern Caribbean, except St Lucia, have virtually eliminated HIV transmission from mothers to children.
The UN in its World AIDS Day Message this year noted that globally, more people than ever are on treatment, mother-to-child transmission has dropped by half over the past six years, and fewer people are dying of AIDS-related conditions. However, new infections are on the rise among people who inject drugs as well as gay men and other men who have sex with men. Young women are especially vulnerable in countries with high HIV prevalence, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.