Hope for TT to be HIV-free by 2020

Out of the 11,000 people living in TT with HIV, there is a need to find 90 per cent of the number – 9,900 people – who are possibly HIV-positive or don’t know their status, according to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh.

“In relations to the 90-90-90 target for an HIV-free TT by 2020, TT is at 74-83-74, which means out of the 11,000 HIV population, 74 per cent know their status, which is 8,140. For TT to move up to 90 per cent, we need to find the other 1,760 people. That is the challenge we are faced with today.

“So 90 per cent of the 11,000 is equivalent to 9,900 and this is our target. Of that 9,900 who should know their status, 90 per cent of those who know their status should be on HIV medication, and 90 per cent of those who are on medication should achieve disease suppression or viral load suppression.”

Deyalsingh was speaking Friday at the National Update and Feedback meeting hosted by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with PAHO/WHO, at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain. He said it is imperative to implement new policies as well as measure the effectiveness of current policy implementation in health, especially for HIV.

“It is only through feedback mechanisms, such as this workshop, that we can achieve our goal of ridding the population of HIV/AIDS by 2020. The only 90 that I am focusing on right now is the first 90, because if you can achieve the first 90 the other two 90s will come into place. “The first 90 is the most difficult 90 to achieve so we have to find 1,760 persons who are possibly HIV-positive but don’t know their status,” Deyalsingh said.