AID FOR AIDS (AFA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in New York City. It is committed to improving the quality of life of Africans, Caribbeans, and Latin Americans who are living with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers by providing access to medications and education and by promoting leadership and capacity building. AFA collects donated recycled medications and sends them to people with HIV/AIDS who live in developing countries who cannot afford them otherwise.
Our efforts help keep 300 people alive all over the world. In the big picture of the AIDS pandemic, 300 might not seem like a big number. However, our emphasis is on saving lives one by one. Why? Because we believe that one empowered person with HIV/AIDS can help make a tremendous difference in their country if given the chance to thrive. We believe in helping people live today. We believe in saving tomorrow's leaders. Our intent with this article and future articles is to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in developing countries where we send medications to individuals with HIV/AIDS. Who knows? Maybe you can do something to help.
HIV/AIDS in Guatemala
Guatemala has a population of 12,974,361 (July 2001, est.). Located in Central America, Guatemala is bordered on the east by Belize and the Gulf of Honduras, on the west and north by Mexico, on the southeast by Honduras and El Salvador, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some one million refugees.
The health ministry reports that 3,700 people have AIDS in Guatemala; 540 have died from the disease, and 50,000 others are asymptomatic HIV carriers (2000 est. figures). As in many countries, these figures might be underreported. Sexual relations (gender unspecified) account for 90% of the cases; mother-to-child transmission accounts for 3% of the cases; and blood transfusions account for 1%.
Guatemala City has the highest HIV incidence, followed by the department of Izabal, located in the Caribbean coast, and the region of the border with Mexico. Guatemala has the second highest incidence of HIV cases country in Central America; Honduras has the highest.
Over 60% of Guatemalans live in rural areas. They often live in poverty and have poor access to basic health care. As a developing nation, Guatemala's healthcare system is underfunded. A large segment of the population has no access to even the most basic care, resulting in high infant mortality rates and reduced life expectancy. Although the Guatemalan Institute of Social Security (IGSS) provides medicines for a limited number of persons with HIV/AIDS, most Guatemalans are not covered by social security and must seek treatment in the general hospitals. There are two hospitals in Guatemala City: the Hospital Roosevelt (infectious disease clinic) and Hospital San Juan de Dios (Luis Angel Garcia Clinic). Many people travel from all over the country to receive care. These two general hospitals offer free services for persons with HIV/AIDS, but patients must purchase their own medicines. Due to the high cost of most HIV medicines, patients simply cannot afford to buy them. Many private industries require HIV tests results before hiring new personnel.
There are various international relief groups present in Guatemala. One of them is Doctors without Borders, also known by its French name, Medecin sans Frontiers (MSF) or by its Spanish name, Doctores sin Fronteras. MSF heads a remarkable operation. It collaborates with the aforementioned healthcare centers and with various prevention groups. At Roosevelt Hospital in Guatemala City, MSF provides antiretroviral treatment for 70 AIDS patients and treats opportunistic infections in about 400 people. In Cohatepeque, in the Quetzaltenango department, MSF supports the "Proyecto Vida" treatment center, which runs external consultations and donates drugs for 250 AIDS patients. And in Hospicio San Jose, just outside Guatemala City, MSF is in charge of treating and caring for AIDS patients.
The HIV/AIDS situation in Guatemala is similar to that in many other Central and South American countries. Much advocacy is needed in these countries to increase access to basic healthcare and HIV/AIDS treatment. Effective prevention interventions and treatment education efforts must also be increased in these countries to help control this pandemic. What can you do? Here are three suggestions: (1) Volunteer your skills to organizations like Doctors without Borders. (2) Call your Congressman and ask him to support increased US monetary support for international HIV/AIDS relief efforts. (3) Donate medications or money to groups like Aid for AIDS.
For more information about AIDS organizations in Guatemala contact ACSLCS, a coordinating agency for groups that fight against AIDS in Guatemala, at: 10a Calle 4-86, Zona 10, Guatemala C.A. e-mail: <>.
Doctors without Borders in Guatemala can be reached at: 5a Calle 0-75, Zona 3, Apdo. Postal 1844, o1003 Guatemala, C.A. e-mail: <; http://www.doctorswithout borders.org>.
Information about donating HIV medicines for Guatemala is available at: <http://aidscommunity. org/hivmeds/>.
More information about Guatemala is available at: <Facts: http://www.larutamaya.net/history/ facts.html>
Pablo Colon, DPM, Director of Development at Aid for AIDS, is an independent consultant specializing in HIV/AIDS community relations, treatment education, treatment access issues, and not-for-profit program development. Pablo was a vice president in the Health and Medical Division at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide. Prior to Ogilvy, Pablo held the position of Director of the Treatment Education Department at Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), NYC. He coordinated clinical trials recruitment, retention, and treatment counseling at St. Vincent's Hospital. Pablo holds a Doctorate in Podiatric Medicine from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine.