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Despite the fact that a large number were tested, there was a fall in those detected with the virus, furthermore, no new cases among newborns were detected.
The Sandinista government in Nicaragua has stepped up efforts to provide free tests and treatment to those affected by HIV, reaching a record number of patients in 2019.
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Vice President of Nicaragua Rosario Murillo announced Saturday that 2019 has been a successful year for tackling HIV in the Central American country. She announced that in the first few months of 2019, over 100,000 had been tested free of charge, which is 16 percent higher than at the same point in 2018.
Despite the fact that a large number were tested, there was a fall in those detected with the virus, furthermore, no new cases among newborns were detected. Vice President Murillo says this is due to the fact that antiretroviral treatment (ART) is still provided free of charge by the government, despite the new U.S. sanctions placed on the country,
Elsewhere in Latin America HIV continues to be a damaging issue for many. An estimated 2 million people are living with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean. Between 2007 and 2017 cases of HIV have fallen by just 1% in the region. AIDS charity AVERT published a report in which they express concern that the slow progress on HIV in Brazil could be reversed under new president Jair Bolsonaro due to hostility towards the LGBT community. The countries worst affected in the region are Brazil and Haiti.
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