THE EDITOR, Sir:
SOME WEEKS ago (June 16-19) a group of health professionals attended the first CHART Caribbean Conference on the Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The event saw approximately 350 health workers from about 29 different countries in the region and North America converging on the Half Moon Hotel. Our physicians, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, nutritionists, dentists, lab technicians, psychologists, counsellors, social workers, health educator, advocates and people living with HIV/AIDS were all there. The Minister of Health also attended.
Much was learnt and discussed by way of cutting edge information from various presenters and discussed about HIV/AIDS which constitutes such a threat to all of us. One of the most important messages delivered was that of the right of persons living with HIV/AIDS to have a voice. It is my opinion Sir, that under no circumstances should this right be eroded in relation to this or any other group.
We are constantly bombarded by statistics about HIV/AIDS within Jamaica and the region which point to it being one of the leading causes of death among young people. It is the pharmacist's responsibility therefore to implore or convince persons to purchase condoms along with (as we term it in JA to 'marry the items') their other contraceptives (the pill etc) termed non-barrier methods. This is crucial as clients or customers appear to be oblivious to the dangers of HIV transmission as they continue to cruise on a wave of false security by not using condoms during sexual activity.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Sir, in April of this year, in a panel discussion dubbed "Why are medicines for HIV/AIDS so expensive? "a suggestion was made which I would like to share with you. The occasion was a Continuing Education Seminar for pharmacists held at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay and put on by The Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica in collaboration with H.D. Hopwood. The suggestion was that in the fight against HIV/AIDS one weapon that could be employed is that of using a percentage of the sales of a particular item or
medication to offset the relatively high cost of HIV medication.
The discussion brought to the fore two possible items that could be considered. I admit to having some strong opinions on the item that should be selected for this purpose. The problem therefore is deciding on the item to be used and of course the percentage. This strategy would of course have to be endorsed by the Government and the Opposition and should reflect what the people have to say, because it is indeed a national problem. Since then there have been a number of successful attempts made with respect to reducing costs in some sectors.
In closing I cannot help but to beseech all of us to remember to use a condom 'every time' be it the male or female condom, and be it natives or visitors to our beautiful island.
I am, etc.,
NADINE BROWN-PANTON
nadsrosepassion@yahoo.com
