HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS prevalence
Since 2003, the National AIDS Programme has improved surveillance of, and reporting on, HIV and AIDS in the territory. There are 57 BVI residents living with HIV who are known to the Department of Health (some residents seek treatment overseas for confidentiality reasons). Of this number, 29 people have AIDS (16 women and 13 men) and 28 are HIV positive (15 women and 13 men). The first case of HIV/AIDS was identified in 1985 and by February 2007, a total of 85 people had tested positive for HIV in the territory. However, the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) estimates that the prevalence rate for HIV infection in the BVI is 1.5 per cent. This suggests there could be as many as 375 infected people in the territory.5 The data indicate that HIV prevalence among 15 – 24 year olds is low (Table 21). However, there are little data available for children under the age of 16 years, as they are not tested without parental consent....

 Challenges in addressing HIV/AIDS

In the BVI, the epidemic is considered to be still increasing, or blooming, and systematic monitoring and data collection has only been in place since 2003. The National AIDS Programme is underfinanced (not having had a budgetary increase in 10 years) and understaffed. The recent decision to mainstream and integrate the HIV/AIDS Programme into the national health programme suggests HIV/AIDS may be framed primarily as a public health issue in the BVI. It will be important for the territory to not loose sight of the fact that the pandemic is also a development issue and to ensure that strategies to address HIV/AIDS place it squarely on the development agenda and not just on the health agenda. Mainstreaming could, however, be an opportunity for the BVI, if it also includes integrating the programme in poverty reduction efforts, social policy analysis as well as the new gender policy.....
source: The British Virgin Islands Millennium Development Goals: A Plan of Action for Localising and Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)