The Government will be spending $1 billion on the National HIV/AIDS Response in Jamaica Project over the 2022/2023 fiscal year.

Objectives of the programme are geared at reducing AIDS-related morbidity with effective biomedical and supporting interventions, and reducing new HIV infections among key populations through behavioural and structural interventions.

Details of the project are outlined in the 2022/2023 Estimates of Expenditure, which are before the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives.

Up to the end of December 2021, 3,854 at-risk men were reached with HIV-prevention programmes, 265 transgender (TG) persons were served, 3,455 men who have sex with men (MSM) got tests and results, and 218 TG also got tests and results.

The project also reached 3,192 MSM with syphilis tests and results; 4,979 females who have sex with other females (FSW) received HIV-prevention programmes, and 4,164 FSW received HIV tests and results.

The programme achieved an enrolment of 1,116 adults and children in anti-retroviral therapy (ART) services.

For the upcoming fiscal year, the programme is expected to reach 20,087 MSM with HIV-prevention programmes, 2,497 TG are expected to be provided services, and 16,069 MSM are to get tests and results.

Some 16,981 of the FSW group are set to get services through HIV-prevention programmes, while 13,584 of them will also receive testing and results, and 1,116 adults and children will be enrolled in the ART component of the project.

-JIS News

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