The Department of Health believes continued public education and awareness programs over the last couple of years have resulted in the increase in the number of residents who voluntarily come out to be tested for HIV/AIDS, an affliction which has affected millions of people around the world.

Yesterday, as part of the local events commemorating the 2009 World AIDS Day, DOH personnel and other health care providers were at Siugaula o le Atuvasa village at Utulei with more public awareness and education information about HIV/AIDS. This year’s theme is “United We Can Stop HIV and Prevent AIDS”.

“One of the most important things with HIV/AIDS is awareness and that is one of the purposes of World AIDS Day as we commemorate this event in American Samoa,” said Dr. Saipale Fuimaono, DOH’s acting medical director.

“...in the past years, there was a stigma about HIV/AIDS but as years go by, there are alot of changes in people’s attitude towards the disease,” he told Samoa News during an interview at Siugaula village. “Our people have come a long way and have a better understanding of the disease and it has to do with continued education and public awareness — which is something that we at Department of Health continue to do.”

While there are still some people whose attitude has not changed, many have changed, he said. “Compared to previous years, we now have noticed a big change in our people in terms of how the community views the disease,” said Fuimaono, who is also communicable disease physician. “It’s much better now than before. People are more educated now when it comes to HIV/AIDS.”

With a continued public awareness program, since it began in American Samoa some 20 years ago, more people are now coming forth to be tested for HIV/AIDS because they are fully aware of the disease and the cause, according to  to shore up the or Farah Utu.

“When the program started in 1988 the number of people coming forth to be tested were low -between 20 and 30- but over the years the numbers continued to increase,” said Utu during an interview at Siugaula village. She said the target provided by the Center for Disese Control and Prevention as well as the World Health Organization is to improve HIV/AIDS testing every year “because that is the only way for us to find out if people have the virus,” said Utu.

She says each jurisdiction, states and territories, have been given the responsibility to conducted outreach programs visiting their communities and educating the communities about HIV/AIDS which is an avenue to bring people in to be tested.

“And this is what we at the Department of Health have been doing all these years — going out to the community to educate our people,” said Utu. “And it has worked. We have been to villages to provide education and awareness and we will continue to do so with the hope that more awareness and education will result in more people coming forth to be tested.”

“Since 1988, the number of people coming to be tested increased to 2,700 plus last year,” said Utu. “The numbers are over 2,000 so far this year and this is a good sign that the education and awareness program is working.”

“We extend our sincere appreciation to the public for their cooperation, especially when testing is voluntary not mandatory. It’s very good to see more of our people coming in for testing and it shows they are concerned about their health,” she said.

Both Fuimaono and Utu emphasized that testing is voluntary and “completely confidential” so there is no fear of any private information being revealed to anyone else.

“We’re into confidentiality because it’s required of us and our people trust their information is kept confidential at all times,” added Utu.

Fuimaono  and Utu also said that so far there is only one HIV and one AIDS cases that were diagnosed locally and that was in 2001. Utu added there have been at least six AIDS cases known in American Samoa and all of them are from off-island, but they have returned home to live out the rest of their lives.