Along with The Bahamas, Barbados, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Guyana is one of the only Caribbean/Latin American countries whose HIV/AIDS epidemic has spread beyond specific high risk groups into the general population. After Haiti, Guyana has the highest AIDS prevalence in the region.

Three quarters of reported Guyanese AIDS cases occur in those between the ages of 19 and 35, with the greatest concentration in the 25-35 age group. While men represent the majority of cases, the current trend is toward equal distribution of the disease between both sexes.

According to the 1999 figures of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS):

• 15,000 adults (3.01%) are living with HIV/AIDS. The Guyanese government estimates actual prevalence to be 5-7%.
• 67% of cases are male
• 150 children under the age of 15 are living with HIV/AIDS
• 1100 children under 15 had lost at least one parent to the disease
• 900 people died of AIDS in 1999 alone

From UNAIDS' 1998 figures:

• 75% of Guyanese HIV cases were transmitted heterosexually
• 13% of cases were transmitted via men who have sex with men (MSM)
• 2.3% were transmitted from mother to child
• 0.4% were infected through intravenous drug use

Note that many believe that homosexual transmission is underreported, while heterosexual transmission might be overreported.

According to USAID, Guyana faces the following challenges in combatting its growing HIV/AIDS epidemic:

• Meeting the social and material needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS through effective care and support programmes
• Increasing awareness of HIV infection risk, especially among young people
• Increasing levels of donor support
• Improving the national HIV/AIDS surveillance system
• Improving the reporting of actual HIV/AIDS cases