The Caribbean region has the second highest rate of HIV infection in the world, and in Belize a large part of that infection rates affect the working population, mainly persons between the ages of fifteen and forty four. And the challenge of containing and hopefully reversing that trend is what twenty three newly appointed commissioners of the National Aids Commission will take up. At the appointment ceremony of the new Aids Commission, Prime Minister Dean Barrow noted that Belize is has having the third highest prevalence rate within the Caribbean and the highest prevalence rate in Central America.
Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize
“We can and must turn this around because like so many of the problems that we face the solution lies within our hands. Aids is an illness but like the other top causes of death in Belize, the prescription lies in changing attitudes and behaviors more than on the state of the art medical technology. Communicable diseases have largely been tamed but the new killers are just as deadly and Aids in particular stirs many of the same fears as leprosy and the bubonic plague once did and spurs responses that are just as inappropriate.”
Kathy Esquivel, Newly Appointed Chairperson – NAC
“We like to discriminate against certain groups that are most at risk. There is a lot of stigma and discrimination against people who are HIV positive and they have enough problems to face without having to face that as well. But it is not something that can be legislated away or taken away overnight. It is something that we really have to work on.”
Dean Barrow,
“Those of you that are being appointed, I of course am obliged to charge you, and in making the appointment I do so, charging you with the responsibility to lead in this fight by doing several things. Guiding the policy agenda coordination, guiding the resource mobilization and the monitoring and evaluation of the national response. I have every confidence that with you in the lead we can win this fight and pledge government’s full support to your efforts.”
The newly appointed commissioners represent the Ministries of Health, Human Development, Education, Labour and Youth. There are also representatives from civil society, community based groups, NGOs, Council of Churches, the Opposition, NCFC, BMDA, the Nurses Association and the UN team on HIV and Aids.
