Caribbean Makes Progress in Fighting HIV/AIDS
January 10, 2013
Dr. Edward Green, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special envoy for HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean, notes that while the Caribbean is second to Sub-Saharan Africa in the percentage of individuals with HIV/AIDS, the region has made progress in the past decade in fighting the disease. According to Green, the 2012 UNAIDS report on HIV/AIDS demonstrates for the Caribbean region: a 50-percent reduction in AIDS deaths, an 80-percent reduction in mother-to-child transmissions of HIV, and a 70-percent increase in the number of individuals who are taking antiretroviral medications. However, Green cautioned against complacency, pointing to funding cutbacks due to Caribbean countries being considered middle-income countries. Green made these comments while in New York as part of a group of envoys from various regions to discuss with the UN Secretary-General their progress in combating HIV/AIDS.