Press Release

World AIDS Day, December 1, is  a global day of awareness, remembrance, and commitment to ending HIV/AIDS — observed since 1988. While inroads have been made, recent reporting from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that global funding for the HIV/AIDS response is currently falling, and this reduction is causing serious concern. As calls are being made around the world to step up funding for local projects in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Nassau Village Member of Parliament Jamahl Strachan answered the call on World AIDS Day by presenting a donation to the Bahamas AIDS Foundation President, Arame Strachan. 

In The Bahamas, recent trends have raised the alarm that the fight is not over, and that awareness and action is critical to save lives. According to the Director of the National HIV/AIDS & Infectious Diseases Program, Dr. Nikkiah Forbes, there were 156 new reported cases of HIV infections and 3,988 people living with HIV in The Bahamas at the end of 2024.

These statistics make the work of the Bahamas AIDS Foundation even more critical, and highlights the dire need for donations. Anti-retroviral treatment (ART) stops HIV from multiplying in the body. When the virus is suppressed, the immune system can recover and protect the person from infections and disease. Without ART, HIV weakens the immune system, eventually leading to AIDS. UNAIDS says there have been “abrupt reductions in international HIV assistance in 2025,” deepening already existing funding shortfalls.  

MP Strachan’s timely donation was warmly received by Ms Strachan, who said that corporate donations, and the public’s support of the Foundation’s annual Red Ribbon Ball make a world of difference. 

“These donations are a lifeline,” Strachan said, “We can’t be public about things we do because we have to protect the confidentiality of the patients we serve.” 

“Many people are living in this country in silence – we are here to advocate for them and champion for them so that they can have holistic care and access to resources they need to live healthy lives.”

When Strachan made the donation, he reminded the public that: “We understand we are only a few persons removed from any loved one, friend who might have been infected”. As an MP and leader, he said, contributing to this case was a priority for him.  

If funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS continues to drop,  it could threaten decades of progress. While new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths fell significantly from 2010 to 2024, 2025 is being described by UNAIDS as “the most significant setback in decades.”

The post Jamahl Strachan Steps up as WHO Calls for Increased AIDS Funding appeared first on ZNS BAHAMAS.