Island marks World Aids Day
Photos
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Minister of Health Zane DeSilva reads the proclamation declaring yesterday World Aids day 2011 from the steps of City Hall. Quilts in memory of those that have lost their lives to the disease lay on the steps in front of him. (Photo by Mark Tatem)
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Ashun Wolffe, Melissa Brangman, Juan Looby, Hafid James, Shamir Howes and Lyndon Raynor donned their HIV and Aids awareness t-shirts at the reading of the World Aids Day proclamation yesterday. (Photo by Mark Tatem)
The proclamation of World Aids Day in front of City Hall came with a minute’s silence, marking Bermuda’s decades of struggle with the epidemic.
Students from Harrington Sound Primary School, Somersfield and Whitney Institute addressed a crowd on the three themes of the day: zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero Aids-related deaths. A choir from Victor Scott Primary School sang a spiritual.
Members of yesterday’s audience wore red ribbons to show solidarity with the global event.
In his address, Health Minister Zane DeSilva told them: “Aids and HIV infection continue to be a priority health concern in Bermuda, with an average of 14 new HIV infections occurring annually from 2006 to 2010.
“In Bermuda, there have been 738 cases of HIV infection reported since 1982, and there are 298 persons currently known to be living with HIV.”
Among the audience was one of that 298.
Saying that he preferred to stay anonymous, a Bermudian man who has been HIV positive since 2006 said: “It was a very positive thing. I think we have come a long way. But we still have a long way to go. Truthfully, there is still a lot of discrimination going on, and that does need to be sorted out.”
Asked if he had been on the receiving end, the man replied: “Yes. I have no way to prove it, but I have experienced discrimination. Bermuda still has this underlying issue, and people need to start accepting us more. We are individuals who are out looking for jobs too. I have children to support.”
He said his own health is excellent: “I take one pill a day. I’m doing quite well. The level of the virus in my blood is actually considered undetectable.”
More events like World Aids Day are needed, he said.
“You hear about cancer every day. We need not just World Aids Day but every day for Aids and HIV.”
According to the Ministry of Health, Bermuda is progressing in the fight against the virus.
There have been no cases of mother to child transmission in years due to screening and treatment.
So far this year, five new HIV diagnoses have been reported. All were infected through sexual contact.
The Island has seen no new Aids diagnoses, and two deaths among persons with HIV/Aids.
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Published Dec 2, 2011 at 9:03 am (Updated Dec 2, 2011 at 9:03 am)