It's the Holidays...and we needed to reflect on all our accomplishments for the year....so here's the Annual Report. Enjoy!

Pictures from the HIV Symposium

HIV symposium at St. George' Unviersity

Many expressed satisfaction with the high caliber of speakers presenting at the conference. Among them was Dr. Courtenay F. Bartholomew, Emeritus Professor of Medicine/Director at Trinidad & Tobago, who spoke on The Experience of the Medical Research Council (MBR) in AIDS Research in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Courtenay Bartholomew is an associate of Dr. Luc Montagnier who received the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1983, for identifying the virus that causes AIDS and then again in 2008, for his efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Dr. Bartholomew himself has done extensive research in the region and was the first to diagnose a case of AIDS in the Caribbean. Attendees were able to benefit from his immense knowledge and research. Dr. Marianne D. Szauer, faculty at SGU, presenting on two topics: NNRTI's and their complications, and The Epidemiology & Current Treatment Guidelines in Grenada pointed to some alarming trends needing urgent attention. She pointed out that in the region, in 2007 there are about 230,000 persons living with HIV; of these, some 14,000 of these have died of AIDS–related illnesses and just over 30,000 were receiving antiretoviral treatment. The estimated number of children under fifteen years newly infected with HIV in 2007 was 1800 in the Caribbean, whereas in North America for the same year, there were less than 500. Grenada’s statistics are consistent with this trend and there is therefore an urgent need for increased education on HIV and AIDS. In her presentation on Puppets and HIV Education for the Children of Grenada, Dr. Szauer illustrated how this is already being effectively accomplished. She and her team of volunteers in a creative, fun way have the puppets dramatize a variety of scenarios to teach children the facts about HIV and AIDS. Already, over 900 children and persons have benefitted from the program. Commenting on the event Dr. Marianne D. Szauer said, “The conference was very very successful. It brought to the fore current knowledge of treatment, recent developments and medications that are available for countries throughout the OECS.” Provost Dr. Allen Pensick though that the symposium went well and that the information was very important and timely. Dr. Judy Nisbett, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Nevis; was among those who expressed keen interest in having a similar HIV awareness program in their home country. As the day concluded, all were convinced that they were more knowledgeable and better equipped to deal this social reality. It is hoped that there will be increased advocacy for the implementation of many of the treatments presented, to improve the quality of life of persons living with HIV in the region.