A review of the response to HIV/AIDS in Trinidad and Tobago: 1983-2010

• Published in: SAHARA J : journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance 2013-06, Vol.10 (2), p.72-82
• Main Authors: Laptiste, Christine, Beharry, Vyjanti, Edwards-Wescott, Patricia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; AIDS; AIDS/HIV; Antiretroviral therapy; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Attitude to Health; Child care services; Communicable Disease Control - organization & administration; Communicable Disease Control - trends; Data analysis; Data collection; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Delivery of Health Care - trends; Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control; Epidemics; Female; Government Programs; Health Behavior; Health Education - trends; Health Priorities - trends; health sector; Health Services Accessibility - organization & administration; Health Services Research - organization & administration; Health Services Research - trends; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV/AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; International Agencies; International Cooperation; Intervention; Legislation; Male; Mass Screening; Medical research; Medical treatment; Medications; Methodology (Data Collection); Mothers; NGOs; Nongovernmental organizations; Original; Population Surveillance; Prenatal care; Prevalence; Prevention; Prevention programs; Private Sector; Public health; Resource allocation; response; Rights; Social groups; Social services; Social services delivery; Strategic planning; treatment and care; Trinidad and Tobago; Trinidad and Tobago - epidemiology
• ISSN: 1729-0376; 1813-4424
• DOI: 10.1080/17290376.2013.869406

This paper examines the character of the response to HIV/AIDS in Trinidad and Tobago and assesses the impact of the response on reducing the spread of the epidemic. The launch of the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan in 2004 signalled the intent of the government to take the response to HIV/AIDS to a different level. This is seen by the sheer increase in the volume of resources allocated to the response from the levels of the 1980s and 1990s. The expectation was that there would be increased cohesiveness, which would allow for targeted interventions to be more effective. Though in 2009, there was a slight increase in the HIV prevalence rate to 1.5%, this was due mainly to improvements in access to antiretrovirals and same-day testing as well as improvements in data collection and analysis. The annual number of new infections fell from a high of 1709 in 2003 to 1154 in 2010. Additionally, great strides have been made in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme with some regions reporting 100% coverage of antenatal attendees. The study indicates that the country has responded relatively well in the areas of Strategic Planning, Care and Support, and Prevention and there has been involvement by both the public and private sector (NGOs in particular), in the response. However, there are gaps in the provision of social services and the implementing legislation to protect the rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Of note is the fact that a successful response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic is one that embraces all social groups, all spheres of activity and all areas of the country.