Barbados to spend millions on HIV/AIDS

The Barbados government is to spend about US$90 million over the next five years to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.



The bulk of the money is to be used to treat the disease, which has infected 1.7 percent of the country’s population.



During parliamentary debate on the Barbados National Strategic Plan For HIV Prevention and Control, Minister of Community Development and Culture Steven Blackett said more needed to be allocated in the country\'s annual budget for initiatives to prevent the disease.



Parliamentarians from both sides have given their support to the HIV plan and national policy.



Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joy St. John recently expressed concern that the majority of people living with HIV do not know they have the virus.