The Caribbean is the second most HIV-infected region in the world

Macushla N. Pinder:

The most recent statistics from the HIV/AIDS Secretariat indicate that up to 2005, 4,724 or 45.1 percent of people with the deadly virus were females.

During 2005, females accounted for 162 of the 303 new HIV cases. In 2004, they accounted for 129 of the 256 new cases; in 2003 they accounted for 162 of the 288 new cases; and in 2002, they accounted for 168 of the 330 new cases.

"Many bodies of research including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) 2004/2005 reports on the pandemic indicate that the newest group of infections are going to be among married people, particularly women," Salorne McDonald, behaviour change communications manager for Society for Family Health (SFH), said during a recent interview with the Bahama Journal.

SFH is a donor-funded organization, its main objectives being to promote acceptability and broad access to condoms and condom purchases, safer sexual practices among youths and other high-risk groups while decreasing the barriers to consistent condom use.

According to Mr. McDonald, in some societies like sub-Sahara Africa, the Caribbean and India, the statistics for young girls between the ages 13 and 24 years old have increased when it comes to HIV infections.

He also pointed out that in one particular Caribbean territory two years ago, for every one infected male, there were six infected females.

"Women need to be extra careful because they are three times more likely to contract the virus," Mr. McDonald said. "So we are empowering our women to ensure that they are empowered enough to look at their own sexual reproductive health.

"Because of how HIV operates and our mindset, you can be HIV positive for five years and unless you definitely get tested, you would not know. It only takes one sexual encounter and that could have been in a caring loving relationship that ended or a partner may have died and you move to another very committed relationship.

"It has nothing to do with one partner being unfaithful, but because of how closeted we are about our sex and sexuality we would not talk about one’s HIV status."

This is why health officials are again pushing the use of condoms.

In fact, a new region-wide condom promotion campaign is expected to begin by late April, lasting until 2007.

The main target group is sexually active at-risk youths between 15 and 25.

The slogan and logo for the mass media awareness is "Got It? Get It."

Marketing officials say the advertisements address key issues associated with condoms like availability and accessibility as well as some of the issues surrounding safer sex and its methodologies.

"Price has been an issue, particularly for those in the lower income brackets as well as youths. Buying it is an issue for someone on little or no income or on an allowance, so there’s definitely a challenge there," Mr. McDonald said.

"Additionally, sex is still very much a closed-door topic. Condoms are essentially associated with being promiscuous and homosexuality and all of these things play on the minds of people in society."

But he said more and more females are "clamoring" for the female condom, Femidom, a disposable, odorless sheath designed for women.

It is reportedly the only safe, effective, female-controlled barrier method choice for preventing pregnancy and STDs, including HIV/AIDS.

According to Mr. McDonald, the product was prohibitive in the past because of its high cost, but that is no longer the case.

Kerry Singh, sales and marketing manager for SFH, reportedly one of the more established social marketing organizations, said while The Bahamas already has a very good distribution of condoms - more so than countries in the south Caribbean - there is still a lot of work to be do.

At the end of 2005, an estimated 300,000 people were living with HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean, according to health officials.

In three of the seven countries in this region - the Bahamas, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago - more than 3% of the population is HIV-positive, officials say.

Higher prevalence rates are found only in sub-Saharan Africa, making the Caribbean the second-most affected region in the world. Nearly half of adults living with the virus are women.

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