The HIV virus is spread through unprotected sex and anyone can be at risk.
This is the message of the National AIDS Directorate as the organization strives to deal with the apparent continued indifference to the very real dangers of HIV and AIDS among members of the local populace.
The reality according to the Director of the National AIDS Directorate, Mrs. Caroline Alexis-Thomas is that HIV and AIDS is increasing in Grenada and this increase is being maintained by people refusing to change their sexual behavior.
The rate of new infections has almost doubled between 2005 and the middle of 2007 and there has been an expansion of the age range of infected persons.
The most infections occur among persons between the age range of 0 to 50 plus but according to the records of the directorate there are now more people over 50 being infected.
In figures, since record keeping began in 1984, 330 cases of HIV infection have surfaced and 167 have since died.
Mrs. Alexis-Thomas said people’s sexual behavior has not changed in that they still distrust condoms which she described as the only barrier that is now available to prevent the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections during sexual intercourse.
In addition she said, excessive use of alcohol continues to impact on sexual behavior, causing people to be less inhibited therefore increasing their exposure to possible infection.
Civil Society Coordinator at the National AIDS Directorate, Mrs. Bernadette Bartholomew said that change can only come about through a realization among members of the public that HIV and AIDS are real and are in Grenada.
She said the directorate intends to drive it home to persons that they can contract HIV regardless to their moral values, emphasizing that once a person is engaged in unprotected sex that person is at risk for HIV infection.
It makes no sense they insist, talking about moral values while doing nothing to help prevent the spread of HIV & AIDS because eventually the people who think moral values alone represent the answer will wake up and find that everyone around them is infected with the disease.
The directorate officials state that the fact that an individual engages in sex with only one partner is no assurance of safety from the disease since it may be possible that the partner could be having unprotected sex with other people and could contact the virus.
Even within marital homes they said, the disease is popping up due to unfaithfulness of one partner or the other.
Our society continues to suffer from the attitude that males must have several sex partners and people continue to be in denial that they are at risk and refuse to get tested for HIV infection.
This reluctance to test causes some infected persons to discover they are HIV positive at a late stage making treatment and control much more difficult. The AIDS workers said if the disease is detected early treatment can begin immediately and the infected person can live a normal healthy life for many years.
They and their families can also be counseled on how to live with the disease and to prevent the infection of others who come into contact with the victim.
The theme of the National AIDS Directorate for last year, this year and continuing into 2008 has been and is HYP: How Yuh Playing? This is intended to alert people to the fact that they must always stop and ask themselves whether they are exercising safe sexual behavior or whether they are carelessly putting themselves and others at risk of HIV infection.
Bartholomew said people should ask themselves this question all the time and try to ensure that the answer is positive and should be Ah Playing Safe, Sensitive, and Secure.
The national AIDS Directorate has no intention of taking the HIV/AIDS problem lightly or of hoping that a miracle will bring people to the understanding of the danger facing us.
The people involved will continue to do everything necessary to get the message out and encourage the population to take the message seriously.
The directorate will continue to advocate testing and will talk about the HIV/AIDS problem until everyone hears: Alexis-Thomas said people tend to mentally switch off when they hear about HIV/AIDS but the directorate will ensure that they hear it everywhere they turn, in the workplace, on the bus at home in their living rooms, everywhere.
They will continue to speak out against the high stigma against AIDS victims and will be intensifying training through the media, will make condoms available and teach its proper use for all of those who are sexually active.
The intention is to meet people where they are and use all the traditional methods of getting through the message.
The directorate is trying to get all workplaces to have an HIV/AIDS policy, is supporting NGO’s which work with vulnerable groups and is supporting the Ministry of Education in dealing with HIV/AIDS awareness in schools.
The AIDS directorate is determined that education will be the major tool since all stakeholders will be involved. People will be sensitized and trained in all the ministries of government.
The officials of the directorate warn that the present high rate of teenage pregnancy is proof of the predominance of unprotected sex and indicated that besides HIV/AIDS there is the danger of other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) which is also on the rise.
Awareness of the reality of HIV & AIDS accompanied by responsible sexual behavior is obviously absolutely necessary.
Alexis-Thomas said that soon there will be a whole generation of people who got infected through mother to child transmission.
She also pointed out the while many people believe that mostly homosexuals get infected this is not so. HIV/AIDS is spread through unprotected sex regardless to what type of sex it is and where it takes place.
Periodic testing is strongly advised which will lead to early detection. Drugs and medication to slow down the effect of the virus are free to victims of the disease.
According to a slogan of the National AIDS Directorate HIV is Preventable, AIDS is treatable.