It has been almost 30 years since the dreadful discovery of the global epidemic HIV. Over 30 million people around the world have literary fell victim to its cold, unmerciful hands. However, amid the darkness of this curse comes a beacon of hope. Last week, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) boasted of an 85 percent drop in the HIV mortality rate for Tobago and a 70 percent decrease in the cases of hospitalization due to this virus. A revelation aptly timed and welcoming, one which stands as a glimmer of hope for a small Island terrorized by the Swiss native Simona Fricker. But even as Tobago continues its up hill battle to recovery, the THA should spare no resource in spreading the message of prevention. All effort should be aimed at aggressive education so as to curtail the engagement of persons in risky behaviors.
Further, HIV awareness stations, equipped with a HIV Task-force should be placed at key social meeting venues, as there is the proliferation of parties, fetes, all inclusives, pool limes and the like, which are seemingly and subtly becoming entwined in our culture, the impact of which can only be negative and erode the successes which have already been made.
So as we dream of a Tobago without HIV/AIDS, let us not become complacent in our efforts to rid this island of this 21 century plague. Let the people be reminded that HIV have not gone away but has only been reduced and that we the people must consciously expend effort and time so as to effect a zero percent in cases of new infections. Let us as an Island continue to proactively take measures which would lend to a drastic reduction in, and an eventual end to the spread of HIV/AIDS.
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Written by O.J.Noel
02nd July 2012
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