Ernesto Guerrero, representative for the United Nations AIDS organization (ONUSIDA) in the Dominican Republic, says that more than 100,000 people could be AIDS carriers in the DR. Most of these persons are not aware they carry the disease, he said. He said that a general awareness needs to be created to carry out the planned RD$100 million campaign to educate the public regarding this fatal disease. He said that an early start of sexual relations contributes significantly to the increase of the disease in countries like the DR. He says surveys that have been carried out show that 6 of every 10 men and 7 out of every 10 women do not feel they can catch the disease. The situation in the DR is worsened by the poverty prevalent in neighboring Haiti, the American country with the highest incidence of AIDS. "What is true is that in Haiti and many other countries there is a conspiracy to remain silent. Many infected persons will not talk about it, out of fear, out of the stigma around the disease. Society does not recognize that fear and the stigma are the factors that are facilitating its transmission," he said. He estimates that one out of every 20 persons in Haiti is infected with the disease. He said that the DR already has model legislation and strategic plan to combat the disease, but that the country needs to implement these. He spoke at a Conference on AIDS and Development held at the V Centenario Inter Continental Hotel yesterday.
