SOCIAL SECTOR INVESTMENT PROGRAMME
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SUSTAINING GROWTH, SECURING PROSPERITY
CHAPTER 3: NATIONAL SOCIAL SITUATION
• The Free Dialysis Treatment at public health
facilities;
• The Medical Aid Programme, which provides
direct financial aid to persons in need of
dialysis;
• The milestone of 100 kidney transplants
achieved through the Organ Transplant
Programme.
Under the Prepaid Dialysis Programme more
than 6,000 patients benefited since inception
and more than TT$66 million dollars was spent
to provide care at private facilities. Similarly, the
Medical Aid Programme has been provided at a
cost of TT$70 million.
D. Dengue Fever
The MoH continues to implement an aggressive
Dengue Prevention Campaign in an effort to
contain the reported cases of dengue. Several
measures undertaken include:
• Public advisories/sensitisation on dengue
prevention;
• Conduct of spraying in communities (over
278,00 homes were sprayed);
• Continuous dengue surveillance at all health
facilities;
• Environmental clean-up, including the
elimination of breeding sources (source
reduction);
• Implement the InspectorDengueEradication
Programme (DEP), which will inculcate
in children the inspector DEP message of
source reduction by introducing it into the
school curriculum (completed in 40 primary
schools).
E. HIV/AIDS
Theeliminationof HIVandAIDS remains apriority
concern for the GoRTT. The MTPF sets a goal to
reduce the number of new HIV infections and
achieve a target of 0.5% adult prevalence rate.
However, while there continue to be notable gains
in the fight against HIV/AIDS (see Box 3.1), HIV
prevalence is greater than 1% in the adult
population, greater than 5% in at least one of the
key populations at higher risk, and 1.3%of youths
aged 15 – 21 years are living with the disease.
Furthermore, HIV/AIDS remains a major cause of
mortality in Trinidad and Tobago.
The GoRTT continues to lead a proactive
campaign that is predicated upon increased
awareness, access to treatment, care and
support, as well as a focus on prevention.
Box 3.I:
Success to Date in the Areas of HIV
and AIDS
• Decrease in number of newly diagnosed
infections from 1,448 in 2008 to 1,390
• in 2009, 1,154 in 2010 and 1,077 in 2011
• Considerable decrease in numbers of HIV
infected infants born to HIV positive mothers
(e.g. Tobago has achieved 0% infection in
infants)
• Significant increase in number of pregnant
women tested and treated for HIV infection
• Mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS in the
Workplace
Programme
in
Government
ministries and private sector, along with
adoption of National HIV and AIDS Workplace
Policy
• Significant increase in the number of HIV
testing and treatment sites
• Significant increase in the provision of free
anti-retroviral medication for those requiring
it, allowing people living with HIV to live longer
more productive lives
• Significant reduction in AIDS related deaths
• Establishment of a Human Rights Desk to
investigate cases of HIV related discrimination
• Legislative review of national laws and
their impact on PLHIV and high risk groups
informing draft National HIV and AIDS Policy
• Improved monitoring of the epidemic through
strengthened surveillance and harmonisation
of monitoring and evaluation indicators across
implementing partners
Source:
National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2013 -2018
