Worrying HIV stats for Belize!

The most recent H.I.V. statistics for Belize show an alarming trend. Executive Director of National AIDS Commission Enrique Romero says that the worrying numbers is cause for grave concern. In 2018, there is an estimated five thousand persons living with H.I.V. but only half of them are aware of their status. And even more worrying is that about half of that number is getting treatment and care. And when it comes to infections – there are two hundred and fifty new cases every year and over a hundred deaths a year. Romero breaks down these numbers telling us why Belize should be very concerned:

Enrique Romero, Executive Director, National AIDS Commission

Enrique Romero

“There is an estimated five thousand persons living with HIV in Belize. Of that estimate, data is showing us that there is fifty percent of those who have been diagnosed and know their status. So, we are starting already. So, we are starting already on the wrong foot because it is alarming that of five thousand people, two thousand five hundred know their status but there are also another two thousand five hundred that are living with HIV and do not know it. And if you don’t know your status you can easily transmit the virus to somebody else. When we go to the second pillar which has to do with treatment and care, of the two thousand five hundred persons who know their status, only fifty percent of them – some twelve hundred people are on treatment and care. And more important than treatment is retaining them in care and so that means that we have another twelve hundred persons who started treatment but for some reason or the other they didn’t continue their treatment. So, we refer to them as lost to follow up. Again, that is not good because data and studies are telling us that persons with HIV can live long – many, many years once they are able to adhere to their medication and change their lifestyle in terms of resting well., eating well, exercising, no smoking, no drinking, safe sexual practices and so forth but it is important that people adhere to medication. So, we already have twelve hundred people adhering; we have twelve hundred lost to follow up. Of the twelve hundred people on treatment, there is about forty percent or fifty percent of those that have a viral load suppression. As I mentioned earlier that is our goal because once a person has a viral load suppression – it means that the amount of the virus is so low that the person – it is non-existent that the person will be able to transmit the infection. So, our numbers are not looking good. Every year for the past five to six years as well, our statistics are showing us that  every year we are having an average of two hundred and fifty new cases and again for us at the national AIDS Commission is unacceptable. Two hundred and fifty new cases every single year and there is an average of one hundred and ten persons dying from AIDS. So, when you look at the raw numbers for a year you can safely come to the conclusion and say that of the new infection of that year, fifty of them will die from AIDS. And it is simply unacceptable.”