National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) on Friday honoured President Bharrat Jagdeo for the government’s fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
NAPS Director Dr Shanti Singh presents the plaque to President Bharrat Jagdeo in the presence of officials from NAPS and Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy
A GINA release said Guyana’s achievements in the HIV/AIDS fight have been unparalleled in the region and the rest of the world, and this was adequately reflected in the plaque which read: “Outstanding leadership award presented to HE Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana and Head of the Presidential Commission on HIVAIDS, in recognition of your fine leadership and extraordinary determination from the National AIDS Programme Secretariat of the Ministry of Health.”
The period of achievement spanned more than a decade during which the president and government of Guyana offered to NAPS support in tackling the deadly disease which Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said was an impediment to Guyana’s development.
“More than a decade ago, Guyana was one of those countries identified as a country in which HIV would overwhelm its public health system and would have a severe impact on our development; would cause us to lose all the gains we made in terms of fighting poverty,” he said.
That challenge, according to Dr Ramsammy was matched by a “comprehensive fight” against HIV/AIDS which resulted in Guyana today overshadowing other countries in the fight to slow the epidemic.
According to GINA, he credited the achievement to a team effort led by NAPS, involving the public and private sectors, citizens, nongovernmental organisations and other stakeholders across Guyana.
The effort has resulted in many Guyanese today being cognizant of his/her HIV/AIDS status, and a heightened awareness which Minister Ramsammy said is unsurpassed.
The minister added that the elimination of mother-to-child transmission is within reach, and the prevalence rate in pregnant mothers and vulnerable groups such as commercial sex workers has decreased significantly.
“It has been a fantastic decade for Guyana when it comes to the fight against HIV and so, when we look at some of our sister countries where they have lost five and 10 years in terms of their life expectancy… it tells a tremendous story of our accomplishment as a country,” the minister said.
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