Human World AIDS Day Ribbon In Nevis
Charlestown, Nevis
December 01, 2008
Inclement weather did not derail the efforts of the HIV/AIDS Unit on Nevis to mark the 20th anniversary of World Aids Day on Monday December 1. The march through the streets of Charlestown to Grove Park went ahead as planned with students, health personnel and private citizens under the theme “Stop AIDS Keep the Promise: Lead Empower Deliver”.
During a brief ceremony, Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Hensley Daniel said despite the public’s substantial knowledge on how the disease was contracted and its danger, their behaviour was lacking.
He expressed the hope that that the gap between the knowledge of HIV/AIDS and behaviour could be bridged which would in time, reduce its incidence on the island.
The Health Minister pointed to the cost of treatment for HIV/AIDS patients which he described as a significant amount of money that could be used for other things.
“We have been meeting the cost of those people and just to give you an idea, to feed 12 people with anti retroviral drugs in Nevis is about $4,000-5,000 a month, So if you multiply that by a year you get $60,000.
