Belize initiates social media campaign for Regional Testing Day 2017local celebrities, partners, media personalities and community activists involved in campaign
Over the last 6 years, Belize has participated in the Caribbean Regional Testing Day initiative led by the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP). In 2017, the region celebrated the 10th anniversary of Regional HIV Testing Day (RTD), with a goal of reaching 100,000 people tested throughout the Caribbean over the 10 years of the initiative. RTD has, to date, tested some 90,807 people and is on track to meet the UNAIDS targets which lead to ending AIDS by 2030.
The National AIDS Commission (NAC) Belize, as a part of this Public Private Partnership; in collaboration with Scotiabank, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Belize Telemedia Ltd. joined PANCAP and twenty other countries in the region to observe Regional Testing Day (RTD) on Friday, June 30th, 2017; under the theme: #knowurstatus! This year the NAC expanded the reach of the programme by utilising eight testing sites.
The NAC launched a social media campaign utilising local celebrities, partners, media personalities and community activists to engage in a simple but effective message, ‘Get Tested, Know Your Status!’
In addition, the NAC in collaboration with MOH engaged the Police Department, Coast Guard and Fire Departments nationwide in the regionally recognised and awarded best-practice “On-site Testing Programme”. This programme, which ran from May 19th to June 26th, was designed to take the testing directly to these organisations to accommodate their busy schedules.
Belize continues to be a lead entity in the region in the promotion and implementation of this event. Nationwide 32,635 HIV tests were done in 2016, with the general scale up in services, and a reduction in the total number of new infections; Belize has seen an HIV prevalence rate of 1.2%, the lowest in years.
Regional Testing Day is a Caribbean initiative spearheaded under the guidance of PANCAP with key sponsorship from Scotiabank and support from LIVE Up: The Caribbean Media Alliance. This year Belize recognised Regional Testing Day under the theme: RU + UR- #knowurstatus!
Visit the NAC (Belize) website here.
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/