GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Ministry of Health, through the Global Fund, has received US$4.1 million to aid the country’s efforts to control and eliminate the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Tuberculosis (TB).
Earlier this week, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, and Executive Director of the National Coordination Coalition (NCC), Simone Sills, signed an agreement to see a partnership to implement activities and programs to tackle the diseases.
“We believe that the partnership we have here would help us extend the kind of programs that we need to reach people, especially those who have fallen out of the treatment program,” said Anthony.
He also said that the partnership would also assist the government in getting more educational content out to the regions, especially on the importance of TB treatment to prevent drug resistance.
“Part of this relationship that we have would help us do more TB education so that people can become more compliant. In addition to becoming more compliant, we would then be able to prevent multiple drug resistance TB,” he added.
The health minister said non-governmental bodies would help the ministry reach its target of achieving 90 percent of the population knowing their HIV status, 90 percent who tested favorable receiving treatment, and 90 percent on the treatment being virally suppressed.
Meanwhile, Sills said the non-governmental organizations are pleased to be a partner in the fight against the diseases.
“This partnership will entail working in six regions across Guyana to assist in addressing the three what we call the three 90s goals for persons living with HIV and increasing the number of persons that have access and treatment to TB treatment services,” she said.
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