GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says approximately 5,100 people die annually in the Caribbean from HIV-related causes and that one-third of the HIV cases are identified in advanced stage.

The Guyana-based Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) Wednesday said these facts formed critical areas for discussion at the regional workshop: “Uniting Science and Communities to Accelerate HIV Response in the Caribbean,” held in Trinidad and Tobago earlier this month.

The event in Port of Spain was organised by PANCAP, the International AIDS Society (IAS), The Global Fund, PAHO and Plataforma LAC.

PANCAP Director, Dr Wendy Telgt-Emanuelson, spoke of the unique challenges and urgent needs the Caribbean faces in dealing with the situation.

PAHO’s advisor for HIV/STI/TB and Viral Hepatitis, Caribbean Sub-regional Office, Sandra Jones, said while the Caribbean has progressed with HIV prevention and treatment services and innovations in HIV service delivery, the region did not achieve the 90-90-90 targets.

Data from the 2024 UNAIDS report indicate that the Caribbean is not poised to achieve the 95-95-95 targets in 2025 and Jones said this may affect the ultimate goal of ending AIDs as a public health threat in 2030.

“Despite 40 years of the epidemic, one-third of the HIV cases are identified in advanced stage. The region needs to scale up HIV prevention with effective linkage into care early through the implementation of the “treat all policy” to reduce late diagnosis while providing different innovations and interventions aimed at reducing HIV mortality, especially for those with advanced HIV,” she said.

The PAHO/WHO advisor on HIV care and treatment, Dr Omar Sued, said there are tools to eliminate HIV.

“There are accessible HIV tests, effective antiretroviral treatments, and robust preventive strategies, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP),” he said, referring to the data regarding the number of persons who die each year from HIV-related causes in the Caribbean.

He said the focus must be on critical strategies to end HIV as a public health problem. This includes normalising and increasing the volume of HIV testing, reducing stigma and discrimination in the healthcare sector, and expanding the care package for advanced HIV.

“We believe strategic investments in these targeted interventions can significantly reduce preventable deaths. This is not only the right thing to do — it is also the smart thing,” he added.

PANCAP, which provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic and coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS, said the Trinidad meeting was pivotal to sustaining the region’s HIV response and advancing discussions on investing in healthcare infrastructure.

It was also intended on creating a more sustainable future where the economic effects of HIV are minimised, allowing the Caribbean people to lead healthier, more productive lives.