Ministries must rejoin HIV fight

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Cynthia Forde is pushing for the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) administration to restore funding to Government ministries and agencies to help with the HIV/AIDS fight.

Forde, who made the call for the monies to be provided as soon as the economy improves, said she believed the increase in incest cases and the hike in Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) statistics could be tied to the budget cuts.

Speaking to members of the media this morning at the Savannah Beach Hotel, Hastings Main Road, Christ Church, where she delivered the feature address at an HIV seminar for men 50 years and over and their sons, Forde said that while Barbados has made significant gains in fighting the virus, it was time Government ministries and agencies rejoined the efforts.

She said her ministry was one of the few that still received the funding.

“I know that most of the ministries had it taken out during the last administration and now I am recommending that it happen. It may not happen during the BERT [Barbados Economic Recovery Transformation] programme, but I know that the HIV/AIDS Commission has their budget and they are still working.

“We are now going to have to go and source other agencies that would help to strengthen our budgets until there is funding for all of the ministries across the board,” Forde said.

The Minister pointed out that the mother-to-child transmission rate has been reduced to one per cent or lower, and the issue of stigmas and discrimination were not as problematic as they had been in the past.

She suggested that the gains and knowledge people received  manifested in a change in sexual practices and might be the reason the HIV sensitization budget was cut.

“But we must get back into all of the Governmental institutions and put in some element of funding to be able to continue with that sensitization that is critical. From what we are seeing, many of the young people are not doing things that are protective to be able to safeguard themselves and live healthy young lives and older lives,” she said.

“And I am going to be very matter of fact with you. I believe that the statistics in this country on incest and persons taking advantage of young girls and boys are climbing.

“I do not have the statistics, but from the stories you hear, from the little snippets you see in the newspaper where men get charged for having relationships with underage girls, and women get charged for having relationships with younger boys, it says to me, no sensitization, or little sensitization is there when it comes to young people understanding their bodies and the kind of diseases,” she added.

Minister Forde suggested that statistics at the Ministry of Health showed a rise in STD’s, and suggested that if this continued, Government would have to increase the funding to the Ministry of Health to treat people who become infected with the diseases.

“So I am making that recommendation when the economy gets better, I need for us to get back to putting funding in those critical ones, particularly the Ministry of Education.”

She also praised churches and community groups for the role they have played in the efforts to educate residents about the virus.

“I know that I have attended a couple seminars at churches across the island and they have been doing programmes with others sensitising them about HIV/AIDS because we are living with it in the society.” anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb