The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS has raised alarm over the increasing incidence of HIV among young people in the Caribbean, highlighting that countries like Guyana and Suriname report alarming rates of 14 per cent, while Barbados sees numbers as high as 37 per cent.
According to regional health officials, this trend necessitates immediate scrutiny and action.
UNAIDS Multi-Country Director, Dr. Richard Amenyah, emphasized that despite some progress, the decline in new infections among adolescents remains sluggish.
He noted that globally, people aged 15 to 24 account for 28 per cent of new HIV infections, with the Caribbean mirroring this concern at 27 per cent of approximately 15,000 new cases.
Dr. Amenyah said if the aim is to eradicate AIDS as a global public health threat by 2030, the troubling rise in infections among youth in the region must be addressed.
UNAIDS said the plight of children and adolescents is equally dire, with 2.38 million young people worldwide living with HIV as at the end of 2023. Among the 630,000 deaths due to AIDS-related illnesses, 90,000 involved individuals under 20.
Although there have been decreases in infections among children and younger adolescents since 2000, progress has stalled, particularly for those aged 15-24 years.