The Health Ministry on Wednesday launched its HIV quick response web app, which will provide information to persons across the country on various concerns relating to the sexually-transmitted disease.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, who met with a team from the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) and other collaborating agencies, launched the app at the Ministry’s Brickdam, Georgetown office.
The web app was developed by JAB Company in collaboration with the Ministry, NAPS, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) project.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony meeting with a team from the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) and other collaborating agencies prior to the launch of Guyana’s HIV quick response web app
This app will allow persons from all 10 administrative regions to have access to testing sites within their areas that perform both conventional and self-testing for HIV and access to links that provide information on PrEP and nPEP, family planning, and testing for Sexually-Transmitted Infections (STIs) such as hepatitis B and C.
The web app will also allow persons who tested positive to get information as to where they can go to receive treatment or uplift medication.
In 2021, Guyana recorded approximately 9022 persons living with HIV/AIDS. In December last year, it was reported that 93 per cent of persons living with HIV in Guyana are well aware of their status.
Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI), NAPS Head, Dr Tariq Jagnarine said Guyana was close to meeting its 95-95-95 goal, set out by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.
“There is the 95-95-95 goal that most countries are trying to achieve. We’ve been doing well. We have closely met our first 95. We’re currently at 93 per cent where persons living in Guyana who are HIV positive know their status, 93 per cent of them know their status,” he had noted.
For 2021 and 2022, there was a slight increase in infections in men, which was some 1.5 per cent overall, and 1.3 per cent for women.
He said the 15 to 25 age group was predominantly affected by HIV.
The Government set out to put several systems in place, in an effort to end HIV/AIDS by 2023.
