Guyana is not considering criminalizing the act of persons knowingly infecting others with HIV/AIDS, since according to Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr. Karen Boyle, research has shown that this causes persons to go underground and avoid being tested.
Dr. Boyle said through this programme infected persons are empowered to take better care of their health by sticking to their medication regimen.
They are also taught how to plan for pregnancies and all the measures they can take in terms of their sexual behaviours and healthy living in general.
These persons the Deputy CMO said become allies with the Ministry of Public Health and take on key responsibilities to ensure HIV stops with them and omit the chances of infecting others, versus criminalizing.
Although the younger population has recorded the highest number of infections, Dr. Boyle said Guyana has made commendable improvements with less than 2 percent of the population being infected.
The aim the DCMO noted is to get the viral load as low as possible in those infected with HIV resulting in the risk for transmission becoming very low as well.
