WILLEMSTAD - According to UNAIDS’ World AIDS Day report, the number of global HIV infections has dropped to its lowest level since the 1980s. The report was presented in Geneva ahead of World AIDS Day on December 1. While the worldwide statistics show a decline, HIV infections are rising in 28 countries, including Curaçao, where new diagnoses have reportedly increased over the past four years, according to the Aids Foundation.
However, it is challenging to provide accurate figures on how many people are living with HIV. “We can track those who are receiving treatment. But there is also a group that gets tested once but never returns for follow-up care,” explains Irállice Jansen, Head of the Infectious Disease Control Department at Public Health.
In the Netherlands, a similar increase in new HIV diagnoses has been observed, particularly among young men, marking the first rise in cases in 15 years.
As per the annual report by Stichting HIV Monitoring (SHM), 1,458 people living with HIV have been registered in Curaçao. By the end of 2023, 733 individuals were receiving clinical care.
From 2000 to 2018, the number of new diagnoses on the island averaged around 50 annually. This number has since dropped to approximately 35 per year, although the SHM report indicates a slight increase in cases since 2019.
In May 2023, Ana-Maria Pauletta, a member of the Curaçao parliament (PAR), highlighted the rise in HIV cases as sufficient reason to bring the issue up at the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO). Now, over a year later, Pauletta has expressed concerns that the situation remains troubling. “Unfortunately, the issue was not included in the IPKO agenda,” she stated.
Despite the positive global trend, the rising number of HIV cases in Curaçao and the wider region serves as a reminder that vigilance and continued efforts in prevention, education, and healthcare access are needed to combat the epidemic.