Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, is urging regional leaders to intensify efforts to combat HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean, particularly through mother-to-child transmission.

Tufton announced Jamaica, Belize, St. Vincent and the Grenadines are ready to provide the necessary support for eliminating mother-to-child HIV and syphilis transmission, in collaboration with bilateral partners.

The ceremony was organised by the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), with support from UNICEF and UNAIDS, and held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston, on Tuesday (May 7).

Tufton emphasised that work to elevate the status of the most vulnerable will go a long way to improve the overall health and well-being of citizens in the region.

“Much work is needed to stem the spread of infections across the Caribbean. Greater unity must be fostered for the region to forge ahead towards achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care. Today’s validation achievement is a result of partnership. It’s a concept. It’s a term. It’s a practical
approach that we preach here in Jamaica that health is everybody’s business,” he said.

Behind sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, the Caribbean ranks third as having the highest estimated number of HIV infections, at 3.8 million in 2022, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Belizean Health Minister Kevin Bernard, in echoing the call, said the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis is a fundamental right of all children.

“It is a promise to our children for a healthier start in life. It is a testament to our belief in healthcare as a right for all and our commitment to public health as a cornerstone for a more vibrant and productive life. As we receive this certification, let us recognise that our work does not stop here. We must continue to strive for excellence in healthcare to ensure that every resident in our countries in the region,
regardless of where they live or their economic status, have access to high-quality health services that they deserve,” he said.

Christine Stegling, deputy executive director for policy, advocacy and knowledge at UNAIDS, emphasised the urgent need to improve the treatment of over 100,000 untreated individuals in the Caribbean.

“We need to ensure that each one of them has access to antiretroviral treatment and we must remain vigilant on the prevention front. We know that criminal laws undermine health efforts where key populations and people living with HIV are criminalised.

We need to make sure that each child born HIV-negative remains HIV-free as they become an adolescent and later as they become an adult. We do this by providing SRHR, STI, HIV and other prevention services, repealing discriminatory laws, and advancing gender equality,” she said.