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Sunday, 3 November 2024 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown): Bridging the gap between new HIV science and providing quality service delivery to communities is the focus of the regional workshop titled “Uniting Science and Communities to Accelerate HIV Response in the Caribbean”, which will be hosted in Trinidad and Tobago, 4-5 November.

The International AIDS Society (IAS) and the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) are leading the initiative in collaboration with The Global Fund, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Plataforma LAC.

The workshop aims to provide a platform for HIV-related health and social service providers, key community actors, youth, researchers, government representatives and policymakers to brainstorm bridging the gap between evidence-based science, policy and action.

“The goal is to create a roadmap for aligning new HIV science and evidence with how we deliver HIV-related services in our communities,” says Dr Wendy Telgt-Emanuelson, Director of the PANCAP Coordinating Unit based at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat. “Groundbreaking HIV data and evidence emerged from AIDS 2024 – the 25^th International AIDS Conference.  This has implications for policymakers and HIV service providers in the Caribbean.  Our Region cannot be left behind.  Our stakeholders must be empowered to use the evidence to create innovative solutions to the HIV service delivery gaps and challenges we experience in the Region.  The workshop seeks to provide this level of knowledge-sharing and empowerment,” added the PANCAP Director.

The workshop’s agenda includes an in-depth discussion of the key messages from the 25th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2024) and their application to the Caribbean, translating the science and knowledge of advanced HIV disease into action so that people living with HIV can access a comprehensive package of services. The workshop will also address HIV-related stigma and discrimination, focusing on the normalising of HIV-related services and integrating services to address intersecting healthcare needs.

This meeting of critical HIV stakeholders supports developing and implementing policies and strategies to improve the delivery of health services that reflect the latest HIV scientific evidence tailored to communities and the unique circumstances and needs of the People of the Caribbean Community.

-ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

PANCAP is a Caribbean regional partnership of governments, regional civil society organisations, regional institutions and organisations, bilateral and multilateral agencies and contributing donor partners established on 14 February 2001.  PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic and coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilise resources and build the capacity of partners.

What are the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026 targets and commitments?

If targets and commitments in the strategy are achieved:

• The number of people who newly acquire HIV will decrease from 1.7 million in 2019 to less than 370 000 by 2025

• The number of people dying from AIDS-related illnesses will decrease from 690,000 in 2019 to less than 250,000 in 2025.

• The goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children will see the number of new HIV infections drop from 150,000 in 2019 to less than 22,000 in 2025.

What are the 95-95-95 Targets for ending AIDS?

• 95% of People Living with HIV know their HIV status;
• 95% of people who know their status on treatment; and
• 95% of people on treatment with suppressed viral loads.

HELPFUL LINKS:

Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, End Inequalities, End AIDS
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/global-aids-strategy-2021-2026-end-inequalities-end-aids/

Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS (CRSF) 2019-2025
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/caribbean-regional-strategic-framework-2019-2025/

Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), Georgetown, July 10, 2024 – Ensuring the availability of sustainable financing for HIV programmes remains a critical element of the regional HIV response. In this regard, the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), recently convened a workshop on Strengthening Sustainable Financing for HIV Programmes, in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago during the period July 8-9, 2024.

The primary aims of this workshop were to (1) Build capacity and foster commitment towards sustainable financing for HIV programmes, and (2) Catalyse efforts towards sustainable financing for HIV programmes through resource mobilization and social contracting.

The Director of the PANCAP Coordinating Unit (PCU), Dr Wendy Telgt Emanuelson encouraged participants to openly share ideas and collectively explore innovative solutions towards achieving sustainable financing for regional HIV programmes. “Share your experiences, and explore potential partnerships for collaborative action, so that together we can create a future where all individuals affected by HIV and AIDS have equitable access to quality services and support,” she emphasised.

Speaking on behalf of the Honourable Ayana Webster-Roy, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for the National AIDS Coordinating Committee (NACC), was the Technical Director of the NACC, Dr Ayanna Sebro. Dr Sebro highlighted that as countries strive to end AIDS by 2030, there is an urgent need to scale up their respective responses which require funding interventions to close many of the remaining gaps.

“New sources of funding are required to ensure the existing programmes are sustainable, and even more importantly, that they reach more people,” Dr. Sebro underscored. “Sustainable financing is achievable through proper strategising and planning, along with a collaborative multi-sectoral approach with stakeholders. From Government to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), from policymakers to service delivery officers, from academics to the private sector, all sectors, all key populations, at all levels must collaborate to optimise, minimise duplication and be more efficient, and work smarter,” she added.

During the two-day workshop, experts in Health financing delivered interactive presentations on key concepts such as The Caribbean Economic Landscape, Understanding the Landscape of Community-Led Initiatives and HIV Financing in the Context of the Caribbean Reality. Best practices, case studies, and the practical use of resource mobilization to enable the sustainability of the HIV Response were also shared with participants. Panel discussions comprising government officials, CSO representatives and policymakers examined the challenges and successes experienced by   HIV programmes via various modalities of financing.

PANCAP will continue to engage its partners in exploring and supporting investment strategies, national policies, and regulatory frameworks to strengthen sustainable financing for HIV programmes throughout the Latin American and Caribbean regions.

National AIDS Programme Managers, representatives from regional civil society organisations, donor agencies, government representatives and technical partners from across the region participated in the workshop. PANCAP sincerely thanks the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Global Fund for making this workshop possible.

Friday, 14 June 2024, (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) had the honour of hosting Dr. Meg Doherty, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director for Global HIV, Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Dr. Doherty’s visit to Guyana, part of her Caribbean tour from June 12-14, 2024, was aimed at strengthening collaborations in the region’s health sector.

During the meeting, Dr. Doherty expressed her enthusiasm for understanding PANCAP’s work more deeply and exploring avenues for future collaborations. She highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in addressing public health challenges and emphasized the WHO’s commitment to supporting the region through collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The Director of PANCAP, Dr. Wendy Telgt Emanuelson, provided an overview of PANCAP and its initiatives, including testimonials from partners who have worked with PANCAP. This was followed by Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony’s presentation on strategies used to strengthen the region’s response to managing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The meeting focused on identifying opportunities to integrate Viral Hepatitis and STIs into the regional HIV agenda, aiming to formulate strategies to eliminate these diseases as public health threats, in alignment with global health goals.

The discussions covered various methods to seamlessly integrate Viral Hepatitis and STIs management into existing HIV programs and the development of comprehensive health strategies that address multiple diseases simultaneously for more effective public health outcomes.

The visit of Dr. Meg Doherty to PANCAP was highly productive and underscored the value of regional and international collaboration in public health. The discussions laid a strong foundation for future partnerships aimed at integrating Viral Hepatitis and STIs into the regional HIV agenda. This collaborative effort is expected to significantly contribute to the elimination of these diseases as public health threats in the Caribbean. The discussions were also very timely as PANCAP prepares for the development of its new Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF), which will include strategies proven to be successful in reaching the 95-95-95 targets set for 2030.

The WHO delegation, led by Dr. Meg Doherty, included Monica Alonso, Unit Chief of the HIV/STI & VH Unit at PAHO Washington DC; Carlos Cisneros, Technical Officer for Strategic Initiatives, Partnerships, and Country Support at WHO; and Sandra Jones, Advisor for HIV/STI, VH, and TB at the PAHO/WHO Caribbean Office.

Accompanying Dr. Wendy Telgt Emanuelson were Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony, Coordinator of Knowledge Management (PCU); Dr. Shellon Bovell, Project Manager for the Office of the Principal Recipient, Global Fund – CARICOM Secretariat; and Mr. Collin Kirton, Senior Accountant (PCU).

Tuesday, 7 May 2024, (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic hosted a certificate award ceremony on Friday, May 3, 2024, at the Ministry of Health (Guyana) Boardroom. This event was for participants who completed modules of the University of Washington’s Global Health E-Learning Programme (eDGH). This programme is being facilitated by the PANCAP Knowledge Management Project, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Knowledge Management Coordinator – PCU, Dr. Shanti Singh Anthony chaired the proceedings and provided welcoming remarks. She recognised the intrinsic partnership between PANCAP, the University of Washington, the Ministry of Health, and USAID, and congratulated the awardees on their tenacity and commitment to completing the modules. Dr. Singh-Anthony urged them to continue to take advantage of additional training opportunities being offered by PANCAP.

In delivering remarks at the ceremony, the Director – PANCAP Coordinating Unit (PCU), Dr Wendy Telgt Emanuelson thanked the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for their support in making the programme possible and highlighted Guyana’s high level of interest and participation in the programme.

Chargé d’Affaires, United States Embassy, Georgetown, Ms Adrienne Galanek shared how honoured she was to celebrate the great work being done by PANCAP – which she underscored has also been an exemplary partner with the United States Government’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

In referencing the positive impact of PANCAP’s knowledge management project in capacity building among health care professionals in the region, Ms Galanek pointed out, “In the last year alone, over 2,000 health care professionals were trained through PANCAP, and approximately 10,000 over the past 5 years. Ensuring that thousands of healthcare professionals are using the most recent, highest-quality practices has been tremendously impactful.”

She congratulated the graduating cohort and urged them to apply the knowledge and skills gained through the programme in their respective areas of operation.

Representing the CARICOM Secretariat was the Director, Human Development, Directorate of Human and Social Development, Ms Helen Royer. She noted that the Global Health E-Learning Programme (eDGH) with the University of Washington was initiated in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when USAID supported a cohort of 20 HIV clinical professionals who completed a ten-week online HIV clinical management course with the university. She said the resounding success of this programme led to further funding from USAID in this capacity-building model.

“As of the end of December 2023, 11 cohorts with 499 persons completed a variety of courses with the University of Washington. These participants included Programme Managers, Public Health practitioners, and health care workers from the Public, Private, and Civil Society Sectors from 15 CARICOM countries,” Ms Royer stated.

The Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, delivered the feature address. He congratulated the graduates and charged them to continue to utilise every opportunity available to engage in continuous professional development. He stressed the importance of medical professionals constantly upgrading their knowledge base to ensure they are delivering cutting-edge service to their clients. “Because of the quality of service we deliver and the kind of organisation that we represent, we must keep ourselves updated constantly so that we would not have problems. Those of you in clinical medicine will know that if you are not diligently keeping abreast, you will be outdated,” the Minister said.

Outlining the overall transformative work being done within the Ministry of Health, Dr Anthony urged the graduates to be inspired agents of change in their respective fields of work. “Wherever you are located in the ministry, you must feel empowered so that you can facilitate change at your level so that we can see improvement.”

Two participants, Dr Cherith James, and Dr Vikesh Bissoon, provided reflections on their time during the programme and shared how the experience and the knowledge gained significantly improved their ability to function with greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Through this strategic partnership, healthcare professionals are provided with opportunities to equip themselves with the latest knowledge, skills, and abilities to deliver exceptional patient care and address emerging challenges, while engaging in continuous professional development. The knowledge gained from these modules will certainly serve to elevate the proficiency of those who participated, reinforcing their capacity to provide outstanding healthcare services of the highest quality.

Tuesday, 02 April 2024, (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, held a Knowledge Share Fair and capacity building forum on Thursday, March 21, 2024, in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

The primary objectives of this event were to understand the importance, relevance, and advantages of multi-disease strategic plans, enhance the understanding of the integration of services for greater efficiency in service delivery and the reduction of stigma and discrimination, and strengthen the networking between National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers and Civil Society Organisations (CSO).

This Knowledge Share Fair provided participants with excellent opportunities, through a series of multi-country working group sessions, to foster greater networking, collaboration and problem-solving to strengthen integration. The participants identified key priorities for the integration of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis B and C and Tuberculosis at the national level.

Knowledge Management Coordinator for the PANCAP Knowledge for Health Project, Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony was pleased with the overwhelming participation of attendees and charged them to take the knowledge gained from this Knowledge Share Fair back to their respective jurisdictions and apply it strategically to achieve successful results. “I am heartened by the participation and involvement of all the attendees and the spirited exchanges we’ve had during this Knowledge Share Fair. Much information was exchanged and I would like to see much of what was learnt here today taken back and implemented as a means to buttress the respective national programmes across the region.”

Dr Singh-Anthony also expressed her sincere gratitude to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for funding the PANCAP Knowledge Management Project and the Share Fair. She also thanked the Pan-American Health Organization for providing technical support in the planning and implementing of the Share Fair, as well as The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS.

Friday, 22 March 2024, (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, concluded the Eighth Meeting of National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers and Key Partners in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

After two days of intense deliberations, participants explored various strategies to be utilised in scaling up their work on HIV and other STIs in their respective countries. Stronger coordination and better collaboration within and among governments, key stakeholders and partners, inclusive of civil society organizations must stimulate greater emphasis on relevant and accurate data collection as it relates to HIV and other diseases.

Discussions also revolved around scaling up HIV self-testing throughout the region, so that countries can reach their prevention targets with greater efficiency. HIV self-testing (HIVST) has shifted the paradigm for HIV testing, the first step in the care continuum. Through concerted regional efforts, the scale-up of HIVST will result in substantial progress in HIV testing, prevention, and care, and can result in countries conquering the first 95 in the prevention targets, in which people living with HIV (PLHIV) know their status.

The meeting further spotlighted the urgent need for the examination of the various national and regional policies and programme responses as it relates to HIV treatment and care, to reflect a person-centred differentiated model of care. Utilising the person-centred approach that simplifies and adapts HIV services across the cascade in ways that both serve the needs of people living with or vulnerable to HIV, can reduce unnecessary burdens on the health system within the region. Greater emphasis on person-centred care where the individual matters and not their designation must be paramount. There were discussions on the strengthening of efforts to shift diagnostics away from healthcare facilities. It was also proffered that sustainable systems for community-based delivery and expanding access to person-centred treatment and prevention services must be developed more broadly.

There were also discussions on the need for major emphasis to be placed on how children are treated within the general HIV response. Moreover, there must be more strategic efforts at anchoring the treatment of children into the various Maternal and Child Health (MCH) programmes available.

Increased use of ICTs must form part of the overarching regional HIV response, enabling advocacy, mobilization, and empowerment of people living with HIV (PLHIV), women, and other vulnerable groups. The use of certain ICT platforms reduces costs and can potentially reach people on a more targeted level. The use of telemedicine was also discussed as a means of accessing hard-to-reach communities that may pose a challenge to other forms of ICTs.

The need for strong, cohesive community responses was also ventilated during the meeting. To provide much-needed support to national HIV responses, there must be a heightened role for communities to play. These communities must have a more defining role not only in HIV but also in health generally.

Policymakers, programme managers, representatives of civil society organisations, the community of people living with HIV and those at highest risk for HIV attended the two-day meeting.

Knowledge Management Coordinator, Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony thanked the planning committee and the staff of the PCU for their assistance in planning and organizing the meeting – the first since COVID.

Director of the PCU, Dr. Wendy Telgt Emanuelson thanked all the participants for attending and providing insightful input towards the many discussions held, and underscored the commitment of the PCU to assist countries in implementing the key takeaways from the discussions, ensuring tangible progress in addressing HIV/AIDS in the region. She also thanked The Global Fund, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS),  and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID for their unstinting support in making this meeting a reality.

Wednesday, 20 March 2024, (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, commenced its 8^th meeting of National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers and Key Partners on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

At the opening ceremony held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, PCU Director, Dr Wendy Telgt Emanuelson, delivered welcoming remarks complementing the excellent work done within the region during the past few years as it relates to HIV and AIDS. The many significant achievements, she underscored, are not just numbers, but represent lives saved, families strengthened, and communities empowered.

Dr Ayanna Sebro, Representative of the Network of National AIDS Programme Managers, and Technical Advisor, National AIDS Commission, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, in her remarks, addressed the need for decisive action to address some of the lingering challenges related to accessing HIV medications within the region. “As we contextualise the implementation of activities and regional access to sustainability, funding, monitoring resources, quality prevention treatment and care across the Caribbean network, we must be intentional in our efforts around procurement and timely access to supplies to remain up-to-date in terms of our access for essential supplies and to mitigate stock outs. We must actively pursue agreements to facilitate access to newer supplies for diseases of public health concern are especially important where patents create obstacles.”

Mr. Ivan Cruikshank, Executive Director of Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition, in his comments, recognised the many achievements made within the region as it relates to HIV; central to which he mentioned the role of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). However, he lamented the shrinking presence of CSOs since COVID-19. “We have to find ways of getting communities and civil society to be much more engaged in the treatment and care side of the pillars. Since COVID-19, there has been a decline in the presence and activism of civil society across the regional response,” Cruikshank said. “This meeting has to be a clarion call to governments to ensure that civil society remains vibrant and has sustainable resources to be able to support national programmes to deliver on these prevention targets.”

He further highlighted that “There are several opportunities presented across the region over these past few years to explore social contracting and to use social contracting or whatever variation of that modality we want to use to ensure that civil society continues to have a presence in our national response and support national programme managers.”

The Assistant Secretary-General from the Directorate of Human and Social Development CARICOM Secretariat, Ms Alison Drayton, recognised the commendable progress achieved in HIV prevention and treatment throughout the region but observed that many challenges endure. She urged that innovative initiatives to address those challenges commence with alacrity. “The UNAIDS 2022 Global AIDS Update furnishes us with a comprehensive snapshot of the HIV landscape in the Caribbean. The region has committed to ambitious targets, aiming for 95-95-95 by 2025 and the end of AIDS by 2030. As of 2022, we stand at 83% awareness, 68% on antiretroviral therapy, and 57% virally suppressed. To bridge this gap, we must expedite the adoption of innovative, evidence-based interventions such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HIV self-testing.”

Delivering the feature address was the Minister of Health of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable, Mr Terrence Deyalsingh, who charged participants to look towards the future for a cure for HIV, particularly through gene editing. “If we want to hit 95-95-95 by 2025 we need to think exponentially. We need to think of geometric progression, not linear progression,” the Minister said.

In referencing a study from North Western University titled “CRISPR and HIV: New technique in human blood unveils potential paths toward cure – Key to possible HIV cure may lie in mechanisms behind how it replicates,” the Health Minister believes that the Caribbean should strategically position itself towards contributing to a cure for HIV.

“I think it is time for us to look as a region to join with one of those research universities so that we are in the door. In so doing, we would have contributed toward finding a cure, so that when that cure comes we would have access to it. I am challenging PANCAP to find a way to get on to the bandwagon of CRISPR gene editing to find a cure so that when that cure is found we can say that PANCAP was there; that we had skin in the game.”

CRISPR is an acronym for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and is a technology that research scientists use to selectively modify the DNA of living organisms.

Over the two days, regional technical partners shared their areas of support, aligned to the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework 2019-2025 and the global HIV targets. This meeting concluded on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.