HIV/AIDS IS TEARING INTO 15-44 AGE GROUP

The 29 countries of the Caribbean, which had an estimated adult HIV prevalence of 1.6% in 2005, is the second most-affected region in the world after sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 300,000 adults and 30,000 children in the region are living with HIV, according to published reports by United Nations AIDS agency and the World Heath Organization.

Among the twelve most affected countries in the region, Haiti has one of the highest national HIV prevalence of at least 3.5 %. (Haiti’s population is estimated around 8.3 million). The Bahamas has an adult-prevalence rate of over 2 percent, Jamaica, Guyana and the Dominican, are not far behind with 2 percent. Barbados has less then 1.2 percent of their population infected with HIV virus. The true number of people affected with HIV or AIDS in the Caribbean is actually under-reported. Many more people are living with the virus and they do not even know they are infected.

In an effort to address the growing concern of the Caribbean Diaspora about the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS on the region and the destabilizing effect on Caribbean families, Caribbean People International Collective (CPIC) will hold its 6th annual "AIDS Walk Caribbean" on June 11, 2006 in Brooklyn, New York. Caribbean People International Collective (CIPC) is a non-profit organization that was established in 1995 to promote "the quality of life of people of Caribbean descent in the U.S and the Caribbean with an emphasis on health, education and family". CIPC is made up of 10 Caribbean organizations and companies.