Guyana to utilise limited HIV funds wisely- Ramsammy

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representatives in Guyana have said that funding for Caribbean and Latin American countries to fight AIDS may soon dry up, and will be shifted to other countries that are more desperate. This comes as World AIDS Day was celebrated on Wednesday. 

However, Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said this country would utilise the limited resources it has wisely, while hoping for the best.  

Country Coordinator for UNAIDS, Dr Ruben Del Prado, during a press briefing on Tuesday, explained that the future of the epidemic for the region depends on how Caribbean leaders address identified challenges.

Del Prado said that this includes ensuring that there is improved prevention, revitalised treatment, and that punitive laws are removed while working to decrease stigmatisation and discrimination. He noted that countries should also work to improve the efficiency of resources allocation and strategic information, which will help to monitor the progress and impact of programmes. 

“Over the last decade, the region has received over US$1.3 billion for its HIV programmes. However, with the current financial crisis, donor governments have less fiscal space; and as budgets tighten, external resources for HIV are likely to decline,” he said. The UNAIDS director has, nevertheless, praised Guyana for its efforts and its many accomplishments in the fight against HIV/ AIDS.

He said that Guyana is the first and only country to have developed strategies to achieve UN goals of zero discrimination, zero new HIV infections and zero AIDS-related deaths.

Meanwhile, Dr Ramsammy said that Guyana has realised several successes in several critical areas in its fight against HIV/AIDS. He explained that Guyana and other Caribbean countries can win the fight against the HIV/AIDS if funds are used appropriately. He explained that Guyana has taken the lead in eliminating mother-to-child transmission, which every country now has the responsibility of working towards.

During an interview with this newspaper, the health minister said that Guyana has come a long way in the fight, and is no longer working towards eliminating transmission, but working towards eliminating HIV/AIDS.

Ramsammy told Guyana Times International that now that Guyana has accomplished many objectives in the fight against the epidemic, it would be regrettable for international donor agencies to cease funding projects to continue the fight. He noted that despite those future challenges, Guyana will utilise the limited funds it has received to address critical areas such as treatment, testing, and education.

He added that it would be inappropriate to utilise funds for surveys which cost millions, instead of working to address critical areas. 

He also mentioned that, because of the commitments made by several heads of states to create a global fund to tackle climate change, funds to fight HIV/AIDS would also be limited.

More than 6,000 persons in Guyana are still living with HIV/AIDS.