By VENUS HONORE-GOPIE Wednesday, November 25 2009

THE GERMAN Government has signed an agreement worth approximately TT$45.7 million to support the fight against HIV/AIDS within the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

German Ambassador Dr Ernst Martens said the agreement will be made available to assure continued financing for an important regional project with Caricom that began in 2004.

Martens said the project “HIV/AIDS Prevention in the Caribbean” totals approximately TT$196 million and a worldwide fight by the German Government and their international partners against HIV/AIDS.

“We think that this effort here will bring about regional integration and it was something we wanted to support.” He said one or two persons from a family suffering of HIV/AIDS left children behind and the project was aimed of helping them.

Dr Edwin Carrington, Caricom Secretary General said he was not satisfied with the fight against HIV/AIDS in any country and felt that nobody will be satisfied unless the “scourge” can be controlled and eradicated.

Carrington said everyone should keep fighting although efforts are really being made to control and eradicate the scourge. He said it was a terrible scourge especially when it affects an entire family.

Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) director Dr Carl Browne said the latest data suggests that close to 90 percent of persons who are now on antiretroviral drugs were alive a year after they started the drugs.

Browne said once people were on the antiretroviral they remain compliant and 90 percent of them had good lives. He said the Caribbean has done well since 60 percent of people needing antiretroviral drugs, had access to it. And as a result, we are seeing a reduction in the number of deaths.”

Browne said in 2001 there were 14,000 deaths from HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean while in 2008 it was reduced to 11,000.