Access to HIV Services for Mobile and Migrant Populations in Antigua

This review attempts to examine some of the research done or documents published to examine
questions related to the migrant and mobile populations and their exposure to HIV and AIDS and
the services and agencies available to take care of them.
Additionally CAREC/FHI (2007) adds that government officials from six OECS member states
(including Antigua & Barbuda) have expressed concern about the increasing spread of HIV
infection in their countries. None of the countries has had at this time reliable national data to
monitor prevalence and behavioral trends.
History of Migration
Roberts (1981) identifies three waves of migration extending from the fifteenth to the early
twentieth century as follows:
I. The introduction of the Europeans;
II. The slave trade which surpassed in scale all other movements into the island and which
has provided the majority of its present population;
III. The introduction of indentured workers which, although small in scale when compared to
the slave trade, had important cultural, social and economic consequences for the
country.
During the indentured period (1835-1884) the island received very few workers. Records show
that 100 Chinese and 2600 persons from Madeira, a total of 2700 persons, was the sum total of
our indentured population.
Table 4 - Official population numbers over the years
Census
Year
Total
Population
Male Female
Sex Ratio
Population Growth
Total Average Annual
Increase Rate of Growth (%)
1871
35,157
15,998
19,159
83.50
-
-
1881
34,964
16,147
18,817
85.81
-193
-0.06
1891
36,819
17,242
19,577
88.07
1,855
0.52
1911
32,269
13,989
18,280
76.53
-4,550
-0.66
1921
29,767
12,542
17,225
72.81
-2,502
-0.81
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