Workshop helps health care workers better deal with HIV/AIDS cases

Health care workers and practitioners are being provided with additional information that will make it easier to interface with persons infected with sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS — thanks to the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment.{{more}}

This was facilitated in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) at a three-day workshop on HIV/STI management at the Kingstown Methodist Church Hall last Thursday, and is part of the national strategic health plan of 2014 – 2019.

“We have to keep our health care officers updated in order to more effectively deal with the challenges that come with STI/HIV,” said Neeka Anderson-Isaacs, communications officer at the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment.

The workshop, which also aimed at building the capacity of health care practitioners, had as lead facilitators Dr Tina Hylton-Kong, director of the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training (CHART) Centre for Jamaica and Dr Yitades Gebre, regional advisor HIV, STI, TB and viral hepatitis.

According to Dr Tina Kong the area of STI/HIV/AIDS management is not attractive to health care providers, because “mainly it has to do with sexuality, it has to do with sexual infections and… areas that people really don’t feel comfortable…”

She added: “So you find that that is also an area where they have less knowledge or practice or experience with managing.”

Kong, who has been in the management of STIs for over 20 years, stated that the training should aid in helping health care providers to feel comfortable when dealing with HIV/AIDS patients.

It was revealed at the workshop that 1,473 persons had so far tested positive for HIV in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 43 of these new cases being reported between January and June this year.

Additionally the director of the HIV/AIDS Unit, Ferosa Roach, revealed that one particular health district has reported an unusual level of syphilis in the older population.

Roach said she believes the increase is because persons are afraid to come out and say they have symptoms. But when the stigma is removed, persons would feel more comfortable speaking to a health care professional and receiving the help that they need.

Participants at the workshop were pleased with the information received. Staff nurse Ann-Marie Harry-Greaves at the Diamond Health Centre said she would be “better equipped” to assist her clients.

The director of PAHO Dr Carissa Etienne has said: “Controlling the epidemic by 2030 would be possible if countries implement a combined prevention strategy and if everyone knows their HIV status, gets the treatment they need, and lives free of stigma and discrimination.”

Dr Etienne further said: “We still face a gap that we urgently need to close. The challenge now is to make further progress and ensure we do not backslide on our achievements so far.” (AS)