The Ministry of Health and Social Development in an effort to join with global leaders to scale up access to HIV treatment, care and support has drafted its 2009-2013 National Strategic Framework for HIV to include a multi-sectoral approach, Health Minister Hon. Dancia Penn-Sallah in her World AIDS Day message revealed.

"This approach will enhance coordination and collaboration within the public and private sectors to develop effective strategies to cope with HIV in the Virgin Islands. I hasten to remind you that HIV is not just a health problem nor is it a problem for the Government alone. It is a community problem that impacts all of us and ultimately the social and economic development of the Territory. HIV is a difficult disease to manage. It requires specialized medications, treatment, and care services under the supervision of trained and experienced health care providers. The cost of HIV treatment and care often places severe financial burdens on individuals, families, and governments. Our Government has joined with other global leaders and pledged to work towards universal access to prevention, treatment and care for people living with HIV," the Minister said.

Each year a specific theme for World AIDS Day is developed to encourage and motivate actions to cope with HIV. This year, the theme is "UNIVERSAL ACCESS and HUMAN RIGHTS".

"The theme acts as a call for countries to remove laws that discriminate against persons with HIV. It also provides an opportunity for all of us - individuals, communities and Governments - to take action and ensure that human rights are protected and that global and local targets for HIV prevention, treatment, and care are met."

The Minister said that to protect human rights of people living with HIV, the Government through the Health Ministry has initiated anti-discrimination programmes to reduce stigma and increase the privacy and confidentiality necessary in the treatment and care for people living with HIV.

"Our national health programme recognizes and aims to honour the rights of patients. This recognition will enable people living with HIV to be advocates for themselves and to become more involved in the planning and implementation of appropriate and sensitive treatment and care services. To achieve universal access, our territorial health programme has committed itself to increasing the necessary mechanisms to deliver comprehensive HIV treatment and care for persons living with HIV. The Ministry of Health has further supported efforts to achieve universal access through the development of a unique public and private partnership between our national health programme and the HIV-AIDS Foundation."

The World Health Organization estimates that 33 million people are living with HIV around the world. This estimate includes approximately 15 million women and more than 2 million children under the age of 15. These statistics show that HIV continues to be a major global health threat.

"In the Virgin Islands, as you know, the first HIV case was reported in June, 1985. Since then ninety-nine (99) cases have been reported. To provide as much privacy as possible for people living with HIV, our reporting systems do not include names. To date we have lost 33 persons to the disease."

Minister Penn-Sallah said that of the current cases, thirty-two (32) persons access treatment abroad, while another twenty-eight (28) persons receive treatment and care locally. Several persons in the Virgins Islands have been living with HIV for more than ten (10) years, and the records show that at least one person has been living with HIV for twenty (20) years.

The Health Minister also took the opportunity to stress that it is important that residents take up the challenge and develop sexually healthy lifestyles to reduce and halt the spread of HIV in the Virgin Islands.