Dijksteel expresses concern about increasing cases of HIV/AIDS and syphilis among Surinamese youth

VHP MP Cheryl Dijksteel asked for more attention to HIV/AIDS care in Suriname at the National Assembly (DNA) on Tuesday evening.

“We have actually seen that since January of last year, and the confirmation in December 2023 of World AIDS Day, that there has been an increase in the prevalence of people living with AIDS in Suriname. This represents an increase from 1.1% in 2020 to 1.6% in 2023. This is an increase of “Almost 50% is shocking,” Dijksteel stressed during the public meeting that focused on public health, safety, energy and water rates.

It received a letter from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Health in which HIV/AIDS practitioners expressed a cry for help regarding the lack of AIDS inhibitors (ARTs), important tools, testing and treatment policies, addressing stigma and discrimination, and significant outreach. Campaign on HIV/AIDS.

There is also an increase in syphilis. “Awareness that takes preventive measures regarding this disease. What we've also seen is an increase in syphilis and we haven't seen a policy on that yet.

In December last year, the emergency department also raised the alarm that young pregnant women were ending up in the emergency room with stage 4 syphilis. We also see insufficient awareness campaigns there. We demand that this matter be prioritized because we do not want sexually transmitted diseases to reappear. “These young people are the ones we need to build our country,” Dijksteel said.