Georgetown: The National Aids Programme Secretariat (NAPS) has registered a total of 5034 patients in their programme with 4274 of those patients accessing anti-retroviral (ARVs) drugs, according to Programme Manager, Dr Shanti Singh.
Dr Singh was at the time addressing a number of health workers and other invitees at an appreciation ceremony to honour partners of NAPS.
She said the numbers indicate that the HIV treatment programme has been working progressively all year in caring for persons with the virus.
Thus, she said the virus no longer poses a threat, but facilitates normal life for those infected.
Dr Singh also disclosed that these tests could not have been possible without persons being encouraged to get tested and know their status.
She said a total of 26, 028 tests were done at the 58 testing sites around Guyana, including the tests done through the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) blood screening programme.
“Testing continues with greater emphasis on reaching the key groups on detecting HIV positive cases.” The key groups include sex workers and men who have sex with men (MSM).
The NAPS Programme Manager also used the opportunity to thank a number of organisations for enabling the testing and treatments as they all unite in the fight against AIDS. Keith Burrowes was recognised for being an “invaluable contributor to the health sector programme, particularly the HIV response in Guyana”.
He was at one time the Executive Director of the Health Sector Development Unit (HSDU) for seven years, during which he successfully managed the implementation of the Basic Nutrition Programme, the Health Sector Reform Programme, the World Bank HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project and the Global Fund HIV, TB, Malaria and HSS Grants.
It is due to the “competent” negotiations of Burrowes that the health sector was able to gain donations from the Global Fund and the World Bank.
NAPS employee Elisabeth Mc Almont was also recognised by her co-workers as a surprise awardee. Dolly Stanford, Ray Chance, Totaram Hansraj, Leslyn Roberts, and the Finance and Personnel Departments of the Health Ministry were also awarded for giving substantial support to the AIDS programmes.
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