How is the Country Managing HIV/AIDS?

The death of Ulysease Roca has sparked debate on the treatment of persons who are HIV positive. The statistics show that only half of the persons confirmed as HIV positive have been taking the antiretroviral even though it is being provided by the government. Annually, there are two hundred new cases and over one hundred HIV-related deaths. Laura Tucker-Longworth , the Chairperson of the National AIDS Commission, told News Five that since 2008, there have been over twelve million U.S. dollars invested in HIV/AIDS. She questions where the country is in taking care and managing persons who have HIV.

On the Phone: Laura Tucker-Longsworth, Chair, National AIDS Commission

“The national response to HIV/AIDS has existed formally since 2001 and the Belizean community has benefited from grants from the Global Fund that has gone into educating and putting in systems to take care of our Belizeans who are infected and affected by HIV.   The question has to be asked where are we, where were we and what do we do as community—as families, communities and organizations—where are we in terms of taking care of someone like Mister Roca who needs us to pay attention. I think we all have to question what we are doing and we must do better than that. The issue of HIV, the management of HIV is a clear structure in Belize. The medication, the antiretroviral are provided to those infected with HIV without them paying out of pocket payments. It’s available in the community; the Ministry of Health, the Government of Belize purchases that medication. What is extremely disturbing though is that only half of those persons that we know is infected with HIV in this country are actually taking the antiretroviral and not all of them are compliant and very few can say that their viral load is suppressed, so the infection will continue.”