Homeless test negative for HIV —Ramadharsingh

All the vagrants tested by the Inter-Agency Unit Street Dwellers Programme showed up negative for HIV, says Minister of the People and Social Development Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh.

Ramadharsingh spoke at a news conference at his ministry on Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, on Friday. “Sixty per cent of these clients have received general medical evaluation at Arouca Health Centre and have been treated for ailments such as diabetes, hypertension and other medical diagnoses,” he said.

“All clients have received Mantoux testing (TB) and those who tested positive are receiving further medical treatment at Eric Williams Medical Science Complex in Mt Hope.” He said 30 per cent had received dental care and 60 had received psychiatric evaluation at the El Dorado Health Centre; medication had been prescribed and they were at a functional level.
He added that 30 per cent were receiving outpatient drug rehabilitation treatment at the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Centre.

Ramadharsingh said he had been making great strides in ridding the streets of street-dwellers. He said more than 120 street dwellers are in the programme and housed at Transformed Life Ministry in Arouca. He said so far one person had completed the programme, was now employed and had found his own living accommodation.