BARBADOS?HAS BEEN undertaking a relatively successful fight to contain the spread of HIV and AIDS among its population, but it is evident that more must be done given the concerns of health officials related to late testing and diagnosis. Clearly, we must have the right means to reach the stated objective.
Our laws do not allow compulsory HIV testing so we cannot force anyone to undergo a test. We must respect basic human rights, but also recognise that by not having that test to know your status, it is possible to infringe another individual’s human rights – by infecting them with the disease.
The key is to ensure that people know how to prevent themselves from getting HIV if they test negative, and more importantly to have access to treatment, care and support if they test positive.
The big challenge is that there are many people living with HIV who do not know their status. This is a serious concern for those people who have unprotected sexual contact with such uninformed but infected individuals. It is therefore understandable why people who are not aware of their HIV status may be responsible for most of the new infections each year. This is why it is imperative that testing be done.
One solution to help overcome many of the hurdles may be to provide access to the approved at home rapid HIV test kits. This method will allow the test to be done quickly and in privacy while it eliminates sending samples to the laboratory for results. The challenge may come when there is a positive result, since this would necessitate additional testing to completely confirm HIV status.
The ability to test oneself routinely and quickly for HIV can decrease the risk of infecting others and help those infected to seek the necessary care and hopefully treatment at a much earlier stage. The good news is that treatment with antiretroviral drugs can significantly lower the chance of transmitting the infection to someone else.
While it is easy to say “get tested”, we must recognize that there is the fear of having to deal with stigma and moreso uncertainty for people who are HIV positive. All the necessary things must be put in place to help those who may be afraid or embarrassed to discuss the possibility of having contracted HIV with medical practitioners. Finding out that you are HIV positive can be frightening and can lead to depression.
The Ministry of Health and the many organisations involved in the fight against HIV must ensure that the support facilities are in place to deal confidentially with questions and concerns. Individuals who test positive for HIV must feel and know that help is available when needed. They must not see it as the end for them.
