HIV/AIDS center hotline provides information
It is estimated that three point three million people worldwide have HIV or AIDS. In Belize the disease has become one of the fastest growing health issues. According to statistics from the Pan American Health Organization and the Ministry of Health between seven to nine thousand people in Belize are infected or have full-blown AIDS. The numbers are staggering and the problem is one that Common Ground, an HIV and AIDS center is trying to address.
Since The Common Ground was inaugurated in July, the center has been making steady progress in its goal to educate Belizeans and bring some relief to the thousands afflicted with the virus and the disease.
Alex Vega, Chairman, The Common Ground
“Statistics show that HIV/AIDS is a problem, a serious problem that will be affecting the socio-economic situation of Belize and this center then will address and will focus its energy on HIV/AIDS prevention and to a certain extent intervention in the future.”
One way the center has been giving advice and information is through their hotline service. The numbers were recently installed. Rodel Perrera, the center’s director says it’s not only the city residents who have been calling but people from the districts as well.
Rodel Perrera, Director, The Common Ground
“A lot is information on the virus itself and how to protect themselves. We noticed that age range, interestingly young people and women; women are calling in to get information. Mostly women are concerned about how to protect themselves against the virus. Couple of other interesting calls are from people who are infected, who are HIV positive, not only HIV positive but full blown AIDS share with us that the medication available to them at the different clinics in the Ministry of Health and at the hospitals they get limited amount of medication. They want to inquire where they can get the AZT or where they can get the cocktails available abroad. We know we are a far away from that but those are some of the questions that they do ask concerning medication.”
To give the center an identity of its own, The Belize City Council donated a sign to the staff and management. It was unveiled by Mayor David Fonseca during a brief ceremony this morning. If you would like to contact the Common Ground hotline, the numbers are 02-36911 or 02-36912.
Presently Belize ranks number one in Central America, fourth in Latin America, eleventh in the Caribbean and the thirty fourth in the world in terms of documented HIV and AIDS cases per capita. According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, since HIV/AIDS was first diagnosed in Belize in 1986, over 300 people have died from AIDS. In the first 2 months of 1999 there were 8 AIDS cases diagnosed.
