AIDS in Belize

[BelizeanBornBeauty]

well we all know that there is always 2 sides to every story...

[Supafly]

AGRRESIVE MEASURES NEEDED URGENTLY.

AIDS da no joke. Belize needs to start testing and dealing with the problem in a very aggressive manner.

i said before but testing needs to be done at everyturn. everytime someone ends up in the hospital or private clinic and gets a driver's license, or gets arrested. And lock up those who spread AIDS on purpose.

Follow that up with serious conselling and cheap meds from brazil and public education and we will be able to recover within the next 10 years. And intolerance (like racism) will be not be tolerated.

If we fail, an entire productive generation will be decimated.

[Mosquitorose]

My friend, mr. L , want everyone to know that his child's mother was infected by a well known politician " whom is a carrier" and whom makes periodic trips to Fl. for treatment.

so if he is a carrier he won't die anytime soon? thats too bad ....

[NAEZILEB]

I remember reading the story about the lady from orange walk a while back. The news-paper said on her death bed she called names of all the men that she had slept with.

Many people do not even like to talk about this sort of topic. People are afraid to talk about HIV/ AIDS.

I remember the story of a Belizean man, he went back home to Belize on Vacation. He met this beautiful cooley girl and he fell in love. This man was my friend husband! yes he was very much married but he was so in love with this other woman.

Two months had pass by and Caroline husband refuse to come back to the United States. Caroline mom call her on the telephone one day and told her that your husband is seing your cousin. of course that made Caroline very angry.

Being she was not a bad looking woman herself, she then started sleeping around with a lot of men. Then around the third month her husband came back to LA with this slim good-looking cooley girl on his arm.

He no longer wanted anything more to do with his wife, he wanted a divorce. Then one night the club plum-Tree was jumping. Both of the cousins was at the club that night, then the confrontation begins.

Caroline went on the dance floor and made a very big seen. She put a good beating on her little cousin. it was pritty bad, her husband had to shove his wife away. Two months later the cooley girl left Carolines husband for an American man.

She remain living in Los Angeles for about four months with her new man, then about a week later the cooley girl went back to Belize because the AIDS had already taken her over, she was dying.

Two weeks later Caroline receive a phone call from Belize. It was her mother telling her that the girl was very sick, and the girl had lost a lot of weight and that she was dying from AIDS. She told her daughter to stay away from her husband.

Caroline gave him the divorce that he wanted. they both went their seperate ways. The girl in this story did went back home to Belize, where she died very shortly of AIDS, Only God knows of all the people that she had infected.

[Mosquitorose]

I'm a bit puzzled...in belize most everybody know your business and like the politician who is a carrier....everybody know bout him...ah caan memba eh name right now...ah couldn't say it anyway...send mi a pm with the name fe remind me, anybody? lol...anyway if you know who have the damn aids, why u di *** around wid dem? that da wat di puzzle me......


On another note....the poor belizean only enjoyment that is free is sex ...lawd! lol...now dey caan even enjoy dat lil commodity...di last lil avenue of pleasure has been removed....hmmmmmm

[baldhead]

What does members of the board think of mandatory testing???

I am basically indifferent towards it.. my mind is not made up on the issue but as this situation becomes worse - we need a solution.

[Supafly]

AYE! on mandatory testing, BH.

and am I the only one who thinks that the debate about AIDS in Belize is being managed at the level of the educated and intellectuals?

i think it is being controlled by the burgeoise and the proletarians are being left behind.

[belizisimo]

Supa, i agree with you. part of the problem is that the churches and some conservative elements of Belizean society don't want there to be a wider discussion of HIV/AIDS in Belize because they're uncomfortable talking about sex.

you saw the churches, and the Roman Catholic Bishop Martin in particular, recently make a public statements against condoms and their efficacy in preventing infection.

earlier this year, there was a public service ad that aired on Belizean TV during regular hours that contained facts about HIV and letting people know where to get more information. The Reporter newspaper wrote an article and an editorial decrying how inappropriate it was to broadcast this material.

i'm sorry but that is so assinine. how can information that can save lives be inappropriate for public consumption?

these people would rather people die for lack of information than let the dreaded word S E X be uttered in public. they need to grow up.

[Supafly]

Was he on TV spouting denouncing paedophile priests?

somebody needs to publicly call bull-**** on their self serving hypocritical mada rass.

[Belizeans.com]

Ministry of Health Announces Voluntary HIV Testing

09 December, 2003 - Belmopan
The National AIDS Programme/Ministry of Health has embarked on a
Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Program to decrease risk and
impact of HIV/AIDS through the delivery of efficient and effective
HIV/AIDS services including the comprehensive management of Persons
Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with the financial support and
sustainability from the Government of Belize.

The first VCT Centre has been established at the Cleopatra White Health
Centre, Belize City, Belize. Vital components of this program involve
the following:

1. Pre-test Counselling
· Assessment of knowledge of transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS
· Assessment of high risk behaviour
· Development of a Behavioural Change Plan
· Medical examination for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
2. Laboratory testing for HIV and immediate results of HIV Status
3. Immediate Post-test Counselling
4. Continued Counselling and Support for HIV+ Individuals
· HIV and Nutrition
· HIV and Immune System
· Antiretroviral Medications and Side Effects
· Adherence
· Resistance
· Contact Tracing
5. Antiretroviral Therapy (based on CD4 Count and Clinical Signs)
· Adherence

The Government of Belize has provided the funds and the Ministry of
Health has procured Antiretrovirals and medications for Opportunistic
Infections for 200 Belizeans Living With HIV/AIDS. PLWHA with clinical
signs of AIDS and CD4 Counts between 350-200 cells/mm³ qualify to start
therapy. Any Belizean requiring medications will have access to free
ARVs.
It is estimated that approximately 500 Belizeans require ARV Therapy.
Belize was successful in its bid for Global Funds and will receive
US$1,298,884 in the first two years. Therefore, the remaining ARVs will
be procured through Global Funds to make available free and universal
access of ARVs for all Belizeans and at the end of Global Fund the
Government of Belize will provide these funds for sustainability of this
programme.

All Belizeans are invited to visit the Pro-Care and Treatment Center,
Cleopatra White Health Center, to access the VCT Services and to be
aware of his/her HIV Status with the finality of behaviour change,
breaking the transmission of HIV and the reduction of new HIV
Infections in Belize.

During this year the National AIDS Programme/Ministry of Health has
improved its HIV/AIDS Surveillance and its dissemination. One of every
three HIV+ Individual will develop Tuberculosis. This program has been
strengthened with a Clinician, guidelines, workshops, surveillance forms
and monitor and evaluation.

Healthcare workers involved in the prevention of the Mother to Child
Transmission (MTCT) of HIV improved their counseling skills, to convince
pregnant mothers to do their HIV Test, with their participation in a six
days HIV/AIDS Counseling Workshop. These five workshops were also
extended to healthcare workers involved in the Sexually Transmitted
Infections, Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS Programs and also from the private
sector and non-governmental organizations.

CD4 levels and Viral Load are important laboratory tests for the
initiation of ARVs and also for the clinical management of HIV/AIDS.
Through the aid of the Japanese Embassy the Ministry bought a CD4
FACSCount System in 2002. Plans are presently underway to buy a machine
that performs both Viral Load and PCR. The PCR will especially assist
the MTCT Programme. Also laboratory diagnosis for opportunistic
infections will be strengthened in collaboration with CAREC.

Various guidelines were elaborated including:
· Guidelines for Occupational and Body Fluids Exposures to Bloodborne
Pathogens were developed for Healthcare workers and along with ARV
therapy have been disseminated countrywide.
· HIV/AIDS Counseling Manual
· Guidelines for the Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS
· Drug Profile for the Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS
· Operational Manual for the VCT Center

A Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS Workshop for Doctors and Nurses was
conducted in 2002 and plans are presently underway to increase the
capacity of our Internists and Pediatricians at each district level for
the Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS in February 2004.

The National AIDS program is presently engaged in two researches:
1. In collaboration with the National Institute of Health, USA, and the
Belize Association for Improved Healthcare the Ministry of Health is
involved in a study that provides same day HIV results at specific VCT
Sites. This investigation also serves as a pilot for the Ministry for
its adoption after this study is completed.
2. With PASCA and other agencies the Ministry of Health has initiated a
multicenter study of STI/HIV Prevalences and Socio-behavioral patterns
among specific populations in Belize.

The immediate next steps of the National AIDS Programme/Ministry of
Health, after monitor and evaluation of this first centre, includes
having VCT Centres with the delivery of efficient and effective HIV/AIDS
services including the comprehensive management of People Living with
HIV/AIDS in the Stann Creek, Cayo and Orange Walk Districts in that
order due to the number of infections.

[Supafly]

http://www.belize.gov.bz/pressoffice...003-2972.shtml

Ministry of Health

Ministry of Health Announces Voluntary HIV Testing

Belmopan - 09 December, 2003.
The National AIDS Programme/Ministry of Health has embarked on a Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Program to decrease risk and impact of HIV/AIDS through the delivery of efficient and effective HIV/AIDS services including the comprehensive management of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with the financial support and sustainability from the Government of Belize.

The first VCT Centre has been established at the Cleopatra White Health Centre, Belize City, Belize. Vital components of this program involve the following:

1. Pre-test Counselling
· Assessment of knowledge of transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS
· Assessment of high risk behaviour
· Development of a Behavioural Change Plan
· Medical examination for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
2. Laboratory testing for HIV and immediate results of HIV Status
3. Immediate Post-test Counselling
4. Continued Counselling and Support for HIV+ Individuals
· HIV and Nutrition
· HIV and Immune System
· Antiretroviral Medications and Side Effects
· Adherence
· Resistance
· Contact Tracing
5. Antiretroviral Therapy (based on CD4 Count and Clinical Signs)
· Adherence

The Government of Belize has provided the funds and the Ministry of Health has procured Antiretrovirals and medications for Opportunistic Infections for 200 Belizeans Living With HIV/AIDS. PLWHA with clinical signs of AIDS and CD4 Counts between 350-200 cells/mm³ qualify to start therapy. Any Belizean requiring medications will have access to free ARVs.
It is estimated that approximately 500 Belizeans require ARV Therapy. Belize was successful in its bid for Global Funds and will receive US$1,298,884 in the first two years. Therefore, the remaining ARVs will be procured through Global Funds to make available free and universal access of ARVs for all Belizeans and at the end of Global Fund the Government of Belize will provide these funds for sustainability of this programme.

All Belizeans are invited to visit the Pro-Care and Treatment Center, Cleopatra White Health Center, to access the VCT Services and to be aware of his/her HIV Status with the finality of behaviour change, breaking the transmission of HIV and the reduction of new HIV Infections in Belize.

During this year the National AIDS Programme/Ministry of Health has improved its HIV/AIDS Surveillance and its dissemination. One of every three HIV+ Individual will develop Tuberculosis. This program has been strengthened with a Clinician, guidelines, workshops, surveillance forms and monitor and evaluation.

Healthcare workers involved in the prevention of the Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV improved their counseling skills, to convince pregnant mothers to do their HIV Test, with their participation in a six days HIV/AIDS Counseling Workshop. These five workshops were also extended to healthcare workers involved in the Sexually Transmitted Infections, Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS Programs and also from the private sector and non-governmental organizations.

CD4 levels and Viral Load are important laboratory tests for the initiation of ARVs and also for the clinical management of HIV/AIDS. Through the aid of the Japanese Embassy the Ministry bought a CD4 FACSCount System in 2002. Plans are presently underway to buy a machine that performs both Viral Load and PCR. The PCR will especially assist the MTCT Programme. Also laboratory diagnosis for opportunistic infections will be strengthened in collaboration with CAREC.

Various guidelines were elaborated including:
· Guidelines for Occupational and Body Fluids Exposures to Bloodborne Pathogens were developed for Healthcare workers and along with ARV therapy have been disseminated countrywide.
· HIV/AIDS Counseling Manual
· Guidelines for the Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS
· Drug Profile for the Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS
· Operational Manual for the VCT Center

A Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS Workshop for Doctors and Nurses was conducted in 2002 and plans are presently underway to increase the capacity of our Internists and Pediatricians at each district level for the Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS in February 2004.

The National AIDS program is presently engaged in two researches:
1. In collaboration with the National Institute of Health, USA, and the Belize Association for Improved Healthcare the Ministry of Health is involved in a study that provides same day HIV results at specific VCT Sites. This investigation also serves as a pilot for the Ministry for its adoption after this study is completed.
2. With PASCA and other agencies the Ministry of Health has initiated a multicenter study of STI/HIV Prevalences and Socio-behavioral patterns among specific populations in Belize.

The immediate next steps of the National AIDS Programme/Ministry of Health, after monitor and evaluation of this first centre, includes having VCT Centres with the delivery of efficient and effective HIV/AIDS services including the comprehensive management of People Living with HIV/AIDS in the Stann Creek, Cayo and Orange Walk Districts in that order due to the number of infections.

Ends

[Supafly]

"All Belizeans are invited to visit the Pro-Care and Treatment Center, Cleopatra White Health Center, to access the VCT Services and to be aware of his/her HIV Status with the finality of behaviour change, breaking the transmission of HIV and the reduction of new HIV Infections in Belize. "

see what i mean? this language is not directed at the working class. "...FINALITY OF BEHAVIOUR CHANGE..." my rass.

[Belizeans.com]

Ch 5:

Cayo kids march against AIDS




The effort to curb the spread of AIDS invariably focuses on behavioural change...and to that end we see plenty of catchy advertisements in the media advocating abstinence, the use of condoms, and monogamous relationships. Today the Cayo District was the venue for a unique approach that centred on the forgotten victims of the disease. Patrick Jones reports.

Patrick Jones, Reporting
The main streets of San Ignacio Town were overrun by children this morning. Their placards and chants were aimed squarely at their parents.

Patrick Jones
"Henry, why are you taking part in the march today?"

Henry Joseph Galvez, Std. 3, St. Andrews Anglican
"Because to inform parents about HIV, to protect themselves and to let us not be orphans."

Joris Groenendaal, Std. 6, Sacred Heart Primary
"Today I am taking part in this event to give a message to the community about AIDS, what AIDS is about and that HIV AIDS kills people and they leave children orphaned."

According to Lavern Maskall, Cornerstone Foundation's HIV/AIDS project manager, the impact of the deadly disease also has serious implications for children and now is the time to take them into serious consideration.

Lavern Maskall, HIV/AIDS Project Manager
"The main purpose is for us to get a chance to hear what the young people want to say. HIV/AIDS in Belize is not only affecting adults, it's also affecting our young people, our children, our future and we tend to only look on adults and put them in the background. But they want to voice their opinion, they know about it and we should give them a chance to express exactly how they feel about the whole situation."

Patrick Jones
"The students taking part in today's demonstration attend various primary schools here in san Ignacio. But more than just a couple of hours outside of the classroom, they are hoping that their message will reach the entire population because conservative estimates are that by the year 2010 as many as five thousand boys and girls just like will lose their parents to AIDS."

Melissa Marie Avella, Std. 3, St. Andrews Primary
"We want parents to protect themselves and to not let us be orphans. We need our parents around for more years. "

Joris Groenendaal
"Adults need to know about HIV AIDS because if they get this sickness, they might die--they will die most likely and then their children will stay orphaned and they will have an unhappy life."

John Lanou, a volunteer with Cornerstone, the local N.G.O. that organised the AIDS Orphan March, says trends in the spread of the deadly disease looks ominous for children.

John Lanou, Volunteer, Cornerstone Foundation
"Those statistics are base on UNICEF international statistic. At the end of 2001 approximately one thousand children in Belize were AIDS orphans. So we've done extrapolations just based on population growth and that figure that by 2010 two percent of Belizean children will be AIDS orphans."

Perla Martinez, Std. 6, Sacred Heart Primary
"I am taking part in this march because I want everybody in the community and the country of Belize to be aware of AIDS and what AIDS does to people."

Patrick Jones
"What does?"

Perla Martinez
"It harms your immune system and it kills you. Then it makes you leave behind like your property and children. And children do not like to alone without their parents."

And while their voices may be small, the messages coming from these children run deep.

Andy Pech, Std. 6, Faith Nazarene Primary
"They can protect themselves by thinking about what they are going to do at first and by saying I won't do what I want to do right now. I want to protect my child, live a longer life so I could see my child in the future."

Perla Martinez
"Well my message would be that they protect themselves from HIV/AIDS, to get tested, and to before get married to ask their partner to get tested. And another way to protect themselves should be abstinence. "

Krista Mai, Std. 6, Faith Nazarene Primary
"First of all we are her because we want advise the parents to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS... To be aware that AIDS is very contagious and they have to protect their children also from it."

Patrick Jones for News 5.

The Cornerstone Foundation says it will continue to sponsor public events to increase awareness of AIDS.

[Belizeans.com]

HIV/AIDS workplace programme launched

It is not certain just how many people in the workforce have HIV and AIDS, but the deadly disease has mainly affected persons in the productive sector: that means young men and women between the ages of fifteen to forty-nine years old. Today, the Ministry of Labour and Local Government launched a workplace HIV/AIDS project that seeks to protect workers against the disease and to help companies to deal with cases on the job. The programme comes as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Human Development, Local Government and Labour, and the International Labour Organization in collaboration with the United States Department of Labour. Sheila Middleton is the project's national coordinator.

Sheila Middleton, National Project Coordinator
"We know that the target population that are being affected by HIV are the working force population, so this is the importance of this programme that we will be working with the workforce trying to prevent HIV/AIDS in the workplace and also putting education programmes. Ongoing education programmes, not only once a month you do something, but often people will be getting exposed to information and thus they will be able to reduce some of their risky behaviours."

"What will happen is that we will do training at the top with the supervisors and the managers first, sensitisation so that they become more aware of the issue of HIV/AIDS. Then we will work directly with the employees of that selected company or government department. We will be instituting a peer education programme, behaviour change modification programme will also be a part of it. And also, they will have a selected committee within that company that will deal specifically with the whole issue of HIV/AIDS and they will be the ones that will say what are some of the things that they want. The first thing when we enter any company or government department, will be a survey to be done with the workers to see what their needs are and to see what level they know about the whole issue of HIV/AIDS."

Middleton says because the project encourages companies to have workplace policies that include an HIV/AIDS plan of action, it will also address the problem of discrimination against persons living with the disease.

[Belizeans.com]

Ch 5:

AIDS project for youth launched

A programme to help prevent AIDS, particularly among vulnerable young people, was officially launched this morning. An agreement between the Organization of Petroleum Producing Countries, OPEC fund/the U.N.F.P.A., and the Government of Belize was signed in Belmopan at the George Price Centre. The government press office spoke with Hetty Sarjeant of the United Nations Population Fund.

Hetty Sarjeant, U.N.F.P.A.
"The agreement between OPEC and the U.N.F.P.A. was signed by our Executive Director, Thoraya Obaid towards the end of 2002, and she was largely responsible for accessing those funds. However, as you know, the project required much national consultations, so since early last year, February and March, we have been meeting with all the various government agencies, NGO's and so on to pull together what the people of Belize felt they wanted. Basically, we know that the migrant populations, they are populations that may not have access to sufficient services, so the project essentially is going to provide information, education, and services to young people with respect to the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, particularly the HIV/AIDS prevention. It's a three-year project. The total dollar amount is four hundred and fifty thousand U.S. dollars. However, U.N.F.P.A. is going to contribute in kind support, and the Government of Belize will also provide in kind support through provision of office space for the project coordinator and the time of some of their very valued officers."

The project will utilise health services, NGOs, the ministries of National Development, Labour, Health, Education, and Tourism. Beneficiaries include young people between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, commercial workers, migrant and mobile youth, National Cadet Corps members, prisoners, members of street gangs, pregnant young women, and single mothers."