Tomorrow: World AIDS Day
The Department of Health will be marking World AIDS Day 2011 tomorrow [Dec.1] by holding a Proclamation Ceremony on the steps of City Hall on this day at 11:45am to encourage the public to think about and act upon the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The theme for World AIDS Day 2011 is ‘Getting to Zero’. After 30 years of the global fight against HIV/AIDS, this year the global community has committed to focusing on achieving three targets: Zero new HIV infections; Zero discrimination; and Zero AIDS-related deaths.
“In order to meet the challenge of ‘Getting to Zero’ we must work together to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann.
“Bermuda is well on its way to achieving this goal with access to and availability of the appropriate treatment to all persons diagnosed with HIV. Some evidence of this is that fewer HIV-positive persons are being diagnosed with AIDS.”
From 1982 to 2010, over 700 persons were diagnosed with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) in Bermuda. Of these, seven were diagnosed at age 0-14 years and the result of mother to child transmission.
One of Bermuda’s HIV success stories is that there has not been a case of mother to child transmission [MTCT] in many years due to efficient screening and effective treatment.
Additionally, 48 persons were diagnosed at age 15-24 years, 504 persons at age 25-44 years, 140 persons at age 45-64 years and 13 persons were diagnosed over the age of 65 years. Additionally, 75% of these persons were male, 88% were black, 91% were Bermudian and 61% were the result of sexual contact with an infected person.
The natural progression of HIV infection leads to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or ‘AIDS’, which is not a separate disease but a sign of advanced HIV infection. Therefore of the over 700 persons diagnosed with HIV in Bermuda, more than 500 have developed an AIDS-defining condition and were since diagnosed with AIDS at some point since their HIV diagnosis.
Of these, four were diagnosed with AIDS at age 0-14 years [MTCT], nine at age 15-24 years, 382 persons at age 25-44 years, 139 persons at age 45-64 years and 12 persons were diagnosed over the age of 65 years. Additionally, 77% of these persons were male, 90% were black, 94% were Bermudian and 58% were the result of sexual contact with an infected person.
In Bermuda, it is estimated that there are 298 persons currently living with HIV/AIDS, the vast majority of which are aged 45-64 years. Around 2% (seven persons) of those living with HIV are under the age of 25.
The most recent data shows that HIV in Bermuda is primarily transmitted through sexual contact. Indeed 90% of persons diagnosed with HIV and 100% of persons diagnosed with AIDS in 2010 were infected through sexual contact.
So far, in 2011, there have been reported five new HIV diagnoses (all infected through sexual contact), 0 new AIDS diagnoses and two deaths among persons with HIV/AIDS.
Minister of Health Zane De Silva said: “HIV continues to have a devastating impact on millions of people around the world. Whilst this infection can be prevented, HIV transmission continues to occur. World AIDS Day is important for reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.”
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