MARIGOT--In the build-up to World AIDS Day on December 1, a number of partners have collaborated to organise a health village in Sandy Ground, in front of the Cultural Centre which will be opened today, Saturday, November 28, from 8:00am to 2:00pm.
The village will have numerous information stands set up, but the event is not just about AIDS awareness, prevention and testing. Information can be obtained on cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and many other conditions and illnesses. The theme of the village is “AIDS – an illness among other illnesses.”
Organisations taking part include Liaisons Dangereuses, Centre d’Information, de Depistage et de Diagnostic des Infections Sexuellement Transmissible (CIDDIST), Maternité Active, Tournesol, L’Association Guadeloupeenne pour les depistages des Cancers (AGWADEC), the League against Cancer, St. Martin Santé, AIDES, and France Alzheimer.
President of Liaisons Dangereuses Ketty Karam noted the objective of the health village is not only to spread awareness about AIDS and the importance of testing, but to encompass many other conditions to “capture the maximum amount of people as possible.”
Alcohol addiction, nutrition, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, sexual health and the handicapped are all subjects that will be addressed. A mobile van will also be on site for rapid anonymous HIV testing.
According to Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS), the Caribbean is the second most affected region for AIDS after Africa, described as in a “general epidemic.” On the island over one per cent of the population is HIV positive. In 2015, 70 new cases were diagnosed; 600 patients are monitored on the French side and 200 on the Dutch side according to CIDDIST.
The advent of a new rapid testing technique for HIV –Test Rapides d’Orientation Diagnostique (TROD) – means a result is obtained in just three minutes from a prick on the finger. Since the start of this year as many as 900 of these tests have been done.
