By Liz Rahaman
Positive behavior change is needed if St. Kitts and Nevis is to minimize the impact of the dreaded HIV/AIDS epidemic on its human resource.
So says Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Elvis Newtown, who opined that the relevant information on the disease is being disseminated into the public’s domain, but a consorted effort has to be made to change the behavior pattern of individuals.
“Unless individuals see themselves as begin vulnerable, the information itself would not result in behavior change and that is one of the challenges in the Caribbean and certainly in St. Kitts/Nevis.
“That requires a very consorted process and I believe we need to be consistent in what we are saying. In instances we sent mixed messages, on one hand we have some persons promoting abstinence and some persons promoting prevention, but when you look at the images in the media and the way in which we live, there is a disconnect in the messages we are presenting and the reality on the ground….
“So to my mind there is a need for us to be very consistent in promoting one common message on a continuous basis so that people would begin to accept and appreciate their vulnerabilities.”
In this context, he noted the role of the education sector in translating and choosing a proactive and holistic way related to sexuality in the school’s curriculum.
“If we are consistently fearful about teaching our children about their sexuality so that they become comfortable, then HIV/AIDS would always continue to be a problem. And we have to move to a level where our young people from the primary level become more accepting of their sexuality so that in the long run it would not result in them engaging in negative behavior that would put them at risk,” Newtown said.
To determine how widespread the disease is in the Federation, the ministry has planned a national testing day that would enable citizens to know their status, thus giving a true national picture of the epidemic. The testing day is schedule for June 21 at Independence Square.
While he acknowledged persons would be concerned about their confidentiality, he advocated that individuals may seek testing at private doctors rather than the public facility.
“But we want to ensure that everybody has the opportunity of knowing their status,” Newton said. He said the aim of his ministry is to infuse HIV/AIDS care into health delivery system with the objective of reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease.
“We believe that just as we view a diabetic, and we don’t discriminate against a person with diabetes, that is what we want to happen with persons with HIV/AIDS-that people in our country are accepting of those who have HIV/AIDS, just as they would accept those with diabetes/hypertension, that is what we want.
Based on studies carried out by the Caribbean Epidemiologist Centre (CAREC), between 1984 and 2005, St. Kitts/Nevis recorded 252 cases while it has a prevalence rate of 0.9 percent out of a 46,000 population. The male and female ration is leveled at 1-1 between the ages of 15-44.
39 persons are currently on treatment at the public hospital.
“The number may be higher but some people may seek treatment abroad because of the confidentiality aspect, ” Newton said and disclosed that two cases of the diseases have been recorded among infants caused by mother-to-child transmission.
The study noted evidence of teen sexual activity that resulted increased teen pregnancy.
A prevalence survey conducted recently on inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison revealed there is a two percent prevalence rate among the 169 population. It was noted that the infected prisoners did not contract the disease while incarcerated.
The local health department is working in collaboration with regional partners like CAREC/Pan American Health Organisation (CAREC/PAHO), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean HIV/AIDS Project Unit (OECSHAPU) and has invested more than US$7M in the implementation of national programmes.
