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March 19, 2026
One in four new HIV infections in the Caribbean occurs among young people aged 15 to 24, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said, highlighting a troubling trend even as the region records major progress in reducing AIDS-related deaths.
Anthony, who is Chair of the PANCAP Executive Board and CARICOM’s COHSOD (Health), was speaking in Trinidad and Tobago, where he is participating in the Tenth Meeting of National AIDS Programme Managers and Key Partners being held from March 17 to 20, 2026.
He noted that while deaths have fallen by more than 60 per cent since 2010, new infections remain a concern, with approximately 15,000 people still contracting HIV each year across the Caribbean.
“Progress is not the same as victory,” Anthony said, stressing the need for renewed focus on prevention, particularly among young people.
According to UNAIDS, about 85 per cent of people living with HIV in the Caribbean know their status, while roughly 74 per cent are receiving treatment. However, only about two-thirds have achieved viral suppression.
Anthony warned that late diagnosis remains a major challenge and underscored the importance of expanding routine and self-testing to ensure earlier detection and treatment.
He also pointed to advances in prevention, including lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable drug administered twice yearly, which has shown strong effectiveness in clinical trials. Efforts are under way to make generic versions available at about US$40 per person annually.
Despite these breakthroughs, he cautioned that access remains uneven and must be improved across Caribbean countries.
Anthony further raised concerns about financing, noting that declining international support could affect prevention programmes. UNAIDS has warned that reduced funding could result in nearly four million additional infections globally over the next five years.
He called for stronger regional collaboration, increased investment in prevention, and equitable access to new technologies to ensure the Caribbean can move from managing HIV to ending it.
