The fight against HIV/AIDS will be won – Commodore Best

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Staff, Commodore Gary Best said the army has declared war against HIV/AIDS, pointing out that it has stepped up efforts to raise awareness of the scourge through a series of aggressive campaigns.
Speaking at the handing over of the Medical AIDS Centre Annex by the GDF HIV/AIDS Prevention Programme, Best thundered “the fight will be won”, pointing out that  while the defence force has been trained to defeat visible enemies, HIV/AIDS is a more obscure, dangerous and complex enemy, which many in the nation are facing.
The Medical Centre Annex costs US$115,000, and was set up with the assistance of the U.S. President Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, (PEPFAR) and houses a training facility to accommodate specialists for the GDF medical personnel, peer educators counsellors and testers. It also houses an extension to the laboratory office and storage space for medical supplies.
Commodore Best explained that the army understands the importance of identifying with the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which represents one of the greatest global health challenges and not only creates social and economic concerns, but is also a national security concern.
He noted that the worldwide death toll from the scourge so far exceeds the military casualties from all of the wars of the 20th century combined.
“The strategies and tactics that we will use to fight the enemy will have to be well thought out and all inclusive. AIDS respects no national boundary, spares no race and religion, and devastates both men and women, rich and poor,” he said, adding that fighting the disease is an urgent calling since each life in every land has value and dignity.
Noting that more Guyanese are being reached and provided treatment through PEPFAR, Commodore Best linked this to the direct medical care which keeps people in good health, through education which is spreading.
Decline in infection
He said the PEPFAR programmes have resulted in the decline of the HIV/AIDS infection rate in young men and women and slowly, the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS is disappearing within the GDF as more and more people live and work with AIDS.
“In the GDF, we too have learnt to live and work with those who fall ill to this disease. Our programme here is growing. Our commitment to a healthier force is evident; the GDF will not allow HIV/AIDS to incapacitate our ranks. Deaths from HIV/AIDS or any other cause result in the loss of personnel which affects military preparedness efficiency and increase the cost of recruitment and training of replacements. The implications for national security are clear,” Commodore Best declared.
He urged that persons continue to change their attitudes and to develop partnerships. He also noted that much is being done in Guyana to ensure that facilities are built or upgraded and provided with the relevant technology and qualified staff.
“We in the GDF urge more, with a national trend, and in my role as chief of staff, I am not only committing resources towards this initiative, but continue to seek partnerships with the Ministry of Health and our partners in the U.S. Southern Command.”
Since the GDF/PEPFAR programme’s inception in 2006, there has been wide acceptance by all members of the force with regard to education and mitigation interventions of the programme, he said. The army also has a functioning lab which the annex now complements.
Commodore Best noted that the GDF/U.S. military partnership has now transitioned from an emergency stage to a sustainable stage.
U.S. Charge D’Affaires Thomas Pierce stated that the creation of the Medical AIDS Annex offers the opportunity to sustain the army’s efforts, and to reinforce the close bilateral partnership with the GDF and the U.S. military by building upon an already strong military to military partnership.