HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic
The
Prevalence
In some parts of the Dominican Republic, HIV/AIDS has become one of the leading cause of death among teenagers and adults between 15–49 years old.[2] [3] Adult women living with HIV/AIDS are estimated at 23,000. [4] HIV prevalence in pregnant women had been relatively stable for a number of years. However, 2005 sentinel surveillance reported HIV prevalence of more than 4.5 percent in pregnant women at two sites. In 2006, sentinel surveillance of pregnant women of all ages reported seroprevalence of 3.4 percent at four sites and 5.9 percent at one site. However, in the
HIV/AIDS was first reported in the Dominican Republic in 1983 and continued spreading until the mid-1990s, when prevalence started to decrease. Due to
In addition to an increase in sex tourism [6], the country’s epidemic is driven by people with multiple sex partners, younger women in union with older men,
A sentinel surveillance study in 2006 reported that prevalence among prostitutes, or commercial sex workers (CSWs), is 4.1 percent (2.4 to 6.5 percent, depending on location). In some sites, the prevalence among is declining and equals that of pregnant women. For example, in Santo Domingo, prevalence in sex workers has been decreasing for the last eight years and is reaching the same level as in pregnant women nationally. This may be attributable to the successful implementation of the “100% Condom Strategy” by two nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in several provinces.[2]
For example, one community project in Santo Domingo in 2006 demonstrated an increase in condom use among sex workers, from 75 percent to 94 percent in just 12 months. According to the 2005 World Health Organization (WHO)/UNAIDS AIDS Epidemic Update, a 2004 study in Puerto Plata, Samana, and Santo Domingo found that 11 percent of MSM were HIV-positive. Infection levels among sugar cane plantation workers living in communities called bateyes average 5 percent, with some groups as high as 12 percent.[2]
According to WHO, the estimated incidence rate of
Factors that put the Dominican Republic at risk of a growing epidemic include early age at sexual debut, high birth rates among adolescent girls and young women, the high TB incidence, and active migration (including migration between cities and countryside, migration from
National response
The
National-level government-directed activities include the following:[2]
- Conducting information, education, and communication campaigns
- Coordinating care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)
- Reducing mother-to-child transmission
- Ensuring blood supply safety
- Monitoring and evaluating national and provincial health plans
- Distributing condoms to at-risk individuals[2]
Since 1995, an AIDS law has made it illegal to discriminate against PLWHA. The law is unique for the region; however, enforcement is uneven and inconsistent, and S&D against PLWHA and those engaging in behaviors putting them most at risk for HIV/AIDS are common.[2]
The government works with a number of international donors to combat HIV/AIDS, including the
References
- ^ "Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 15-49) | Data".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Health Profile: Dominican Republic" Archived 2008-09-13 at the Wayback Machine. United States Agency for International Development (June 2008). Accessed September 7, 2008. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.