By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE major progress in treating HIV/AIDS in The Bahamas, stigma and discrimination continue to drive people to hide their status, health officials warned this week.

At an HIV/AIDS educational seminar in Grand Bahama, former hospital administrator Sharon Williams urged Bahamians to move beyond “lip service” and take real action against prejudice.

“We often say we support our co-workers, colleagues, families, and community members who are ill or living with HIV/AIDS. But in a lot of instances, we are only giving lip service,” she said. “If we were truly supportive, why are persons still hiding? Why are they still feeling stigmatized and discriminated against? Actions speak louder than words.”

Ms Williams said people with HIV/AIDS deserve to live free from condemnation. “There are many ways you can contract HIV. It doesn’t have to be by sexual contact. We must be supportive of all persons, regardless of how they got it,” she said.

The seminar, held at the Susan J Wallace Community Center, gathered health professionals, advocates, and community leaders to highlight both progress and lingering challenges in the fight against the disease.

Dr Stacie Bevans-Laing, chief of medical staff at Grand Bahama Health Services, reported that 3,988 people were living with HIV nationwide at the end of 2024. Last year saw 156 new cases, 14 percent of which were among young people aged 15 to 24.

She also pointed to success in preventing mother-to-child transmission. “We want the public to know HIV is a chronic illness, but it’s manageable with the proper treatment,” she said. “Discrimination, however, remains a major issue.”

Tina Roberts, president of the HIV/AIDS Survivors Benefit (HASB), said the campaign theme, Breaking the Silence and Keeping the Promise, aims to sustain education and prevention efforts.

“Our goal is to eliminate the transmission of HIV by 2030,” she said. “Today’s audience was from the corporate community, and they are leaders who can help spread this message to parents, children, and the wider community.”

Organisers stressed that eliminating stigma, expanding education, and encouraging treatment are essential steps toward reducing infections and meeting the 2030 target.