HIV/AIDS survey underway in NMI

By Roger Obakrairur, Brenda Delisle, and John Dax Moreno
Special to the Saipan Tribune

A survey that intends to find out the extent of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases in the CNMI is currently underway. The survey will also aid in understanding the associated risk behaviors of respondents.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, in partnership with the CNMI Department Public Health HIV/STD Prevention Program, is conducting the survey, called Second Generation Surveillance Survey.

The current system for HIV and STD surveillance in the CNMI is generally conducted through “passive” (waiting for people to present) reporting, and most “active” (going into the community) case findings are done through the annual Alien Health Screening Program. This will be the first time that an active research project will be conducted that will reach and extend toward at-risk groups to fully investigate the disease process.

There are five persons currently living with HIV in the CNMI, and there have been a total of 24 cases since recording were established in 1997. Out of these 24 cases, there are 13 females and 11 males. Two of these 24 cases are children.

SPC, which is based in New Caledonia, is conducting the survey across their 22 member Pacific island countries and territories spread throughout Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. SPC set aside about $31,000 to run the survey on Saipan, not including operational expenses for their supervisors on the island.

Brenda DeLisle, SPC’s HIV/AIDS & STI surveillance coordinator, is tasked with conducting the survey in the CNMI, as well as assisting Guam and Palau with their own surveys.

Working with Tim Sladden, SPC HIV surveillance specialist, who laid the initial groundwork for the survey in the CNMI, DeLisle has been helping the staff of the CNMI DPH HIV/STD Prevention Program since June this year to gather and assemble supplies for the survey, conduct surveyor trainings, and set up the system on how the survey is to be conducted.

Since HIV, the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, was first recognized in 1981, it has spread across the world. Currently, HIV prevalence appears to be low across most of the Pacific, except in Papua New Guinea. Many Pacific nations however, report high levels of STDs, indicating high rates of unprotected sex, hence a high risk for transmission of HIV if prevention efforts are ignored.

[B]The Second Generation Survey[/B]

Information regarding sexual behavior and the prevalence of HIV and STDs is limited in the Pacific, and this information is necessary to effectively respond to the challenges of the diseases by ensuring that health care agencies’ responses are evidenced-based and appropriately targeted.

The data collected will be analyzed for use in the further development of the DPH HIV/STD Prevention Program, for monitoring the trends of infection and risk behaviors, and for reporting to federal government partners, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The information from the survey will provide the first formal baseline data on the prevalence of HIV and STDs and risk behaviors in our numerous and varied at-risk population groups and will be gathered in two ways: 1) by conducting a risk assessment questionnaire with a trained interviewer and, 2) by encouraging all individuals participating in the survey to get free, anonymous, and confidential testing at the HIV/STD Resource and Treatment Center, located at Navy Hill, Building #29.

The questionnaire surveys for this project will be conducted toward three at-risk population groups: 1) Men who have sex with men ages 18 years and older, 2) pregnant women presenting for their first prenatal visit ages who are 18 years and older and finally, 3) unmarried male and female youth 18-24 years old. The target numbers of survey interviews for these at-risk groups are 100, 300 and 400 respectively.

The surveys will be conducted at various locations on Saipan and it is a collaboration undertaken by the CNMI DPH HIV/STD Prevention Program, nursing and professional staff at Southern and Women’s Clinic, the Napu Life Foundation (a local HIV/AIDS non-profit organization), and other volunteers. Students from Northern Marianas College Nursing program, coordinated by Nursing director Lynn Curtis and Nursing instructor Cyndi Tice, the Current Issues class under Sam McPhetres, and Elena Alexandrova’s Microbiology class also volunteered to conduct surveys.

Are you interested in taking the survey or in getting an HIV/STD test? If you haven’t been tested, or if you’ve had unprotected sex, now is the time to get tested. It is free and confidential. Come and visit the HIV/STD Resource and Treatment Center at Building 29, Navy Hill, or call at 664-4050 for more information.

[B]About HIV/AIDS[/B]

AIDS is a serious condition in which the body’s defense against some illnesses is broken down. Diseases that the body could usually fight off with ease then become problematic. If a person is infected with HIV it doesn’t mean that they have AIDS. In fact, people can have the infection and appear to be perfectly healthy. When the virus multiplies, the body’s defense system is destroyed and then that’s when the infected person develops very serious health problems. This could develop over many years, and an infected person may pass along the virus not knowing that they have the infection.

[B]CNMI DPH HIV/STD Prevention Program[/B]

The CNMI HIV/STD Prevention Program in CNMI offers the following services:

– Free, confidential and anonymous HIV testing and counseling

– Free, confidential and anonymous STD case management and intervention

– Confidential and anonymous treatment for HIV and STDs

– Community outreach and education

– Free brochures, posters, videos, and condoms

Currently, the Program is staffed by Clinical Attendant, Marla Maratita, Case Worker, William Macaranas, Community Health Worker, Katherine Rangamar, Outreach Worker, Roger Obakrairur, and Program Manager, John Dax Moreno. The medical providers for the Treatment Center are James Hofschneider, MD and Galylene Blau, NP who runs the clinic twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The staff of the HIV/STD Prevention Program encourages the entire community to support the survey and to play an active role in educating our youth, friends and family on the importance of preventing the spread of HIV and STDs in our islands.

[B]About SPC[/B]

SPC is an international organization based in New Caledonia that works in partnership with its members, donors, and other organizations to deliver priority work programs to member countries and territories. Its work programs aim to develop technical assistance, professional, scientific and research support, and planning and management capacity building.

[I](Roger Obakrairur is a DPH HIV/AIDS Outreach Worker; Brenda DeLisle is SPC HIV/AIDS & STI Surveillance Coordinator; and John Dax Moreno is DPH Program Manager.)
[/I]