AIDS-Related Deaths Down in Trinidad, but Reports of New HIV Infections Increase

On Wednesday, officials from Trinidad's National AIDS Coordinating Committee said that while AIDS-related deaths are down in the country, reports of new HIV infections are climbing. Committee Director Amery Browne said government figures show AIDS deaths dropped from 240 in 2002 to 166 in 2003, largely due to a two-year-old government program providing free antiretrovirals. However, new HIV infections increased to 1,718 last year from 1,209 in 2002 and 1,062 in 2001. The committee said that rise may be due to more people choosing to report infections.

The committee said more effort is needed to increase testing, promote HIV prevention and fight AIDS stigma in Trinidad.

UNAIDS reports that Trinidad and Tobago, with a population of 1.3 million, has an HIV infection rate of more than 3 percent. Excluding Cuba, the Caribbean's overall infection rate is around 2.4 percent -- second only to sub-Saharan Africa.

Earlier this year, Trinidadian Prime Minister Patrick Manning said the government would spend $500 million (Trinidadian) (US$83 million) over five years to combat HIV/AIDS. The attorney general's office is drafting legislation to protect HIV/AIDS patients from discrimination.

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