Release Type: Press Release

Friday, 1 December 2023, (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 programme in observance of World AIDS Day 2023, on Friday, December 1, under the theme: “Let Communities Lead.”

While reflecting on those persons lost to the disease, sharp focus was also placed on the continued progress made throughout the years and the arduous work that is still to be done to end AIDS by 2030.

Deputy Secretary General of the CARICOM Secretariat Dr Armstrong Alexis in his remarks commended the successful collaboration and the tremendous work undertaken by civil society partners, who continue to work hand-in-hand with the Ministries of Public Health and National AIDS Programmes throughout the region, to ensure that vulnerable populations receive HIV prevention, treatment and care and, most recently, to ensure the continuum of care during the pandemic.

However, he observed that greater synergies must exist between civil society, other community-led organisations and the various regional public health ministries and agencies to bring an end to AIDS in the Region.  “I encourage our policymakers and public health stakeholders to strengthen the partnership with civil society and to empower our communities to tackle the persistent challenge of stigma and discrimination. We must continue to nurture and embolden our communities; it is only through this effective partnership we can achieve PANCAP’s Vision Caribbean free of AIDS and new HIV infections, in which all people are happier, healthier, productive, safe and respected,” Dr Alexis emphasised.

Dr Alexis further underscored, that, “While the percentage of people living with HIV with suppressed viral loads increased from 39% in 2018 to 57% in 2022, viral load testing coverage fell below pre-COVID-19 levels, emphasizing the need to address underlying inequalities and barriers, including HIV-related stigma. Hence, the critical importance of creating an enabling environment for our civil society partners and community organizations to take the lead in fighting the stigma associated with HIV,” PANCAP Director, Dr Wendy Telgt Emanuelson in her World AIDS Day message acknowledged that communities – the heart and soul of our fight against HIV – stand at the forefront of progress. Yet, despite their fundamental role, communities continue to encounter barriers hindering their leadership.

She stated that according to UNAIDS, funding shortages, policy constraints, capacity limitations, and restrictions on civil rights hinder the vital work of many community-led organisations. Moreover, by removing these difficulties, the push they bring to the global HIV response will be supreme, in bringing us closer to our goal of ending AIDS.

“The cost of not ending AIDS outweighs the investment required to do so. Removing barriers, ensuring an enabling environment, and safeguarding human rights, especially those of demoted communities, is central in advancing the HIV response globally,” Dr. Telgt Emanuelson highlighted.

Senior Project Officer for the Caribbean Regional Network of People Living with HIV (CRN+), Mr. Jason Shepherd, spoke to the intrinsic value of community involvement in the HIV response.  He said: “The role of communities is even more important at a time when funding continues to be reduced and a shrinking space for civil society is putting the sustainability of services and advocacy efforts in jeopardy.”

“CRN+ once again renews the call for the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV (GIPA). Experiences continue to show that success is more likely when communities are proactively involved in ensuring their well-being. Communities have proven time and time again to be leaders in this work driving change and innovation, and they shouldn’t be hindered in those efforts; they should be supported and heralded for those efforts. Sufficient, consistent funding that ensures the continuity of community services is essential to keep organisations strong to continue meeting the needs of the people they serve,” Mr Shepherd underscored.

Communities across all levels, whether international, regional or local know what works best for them. They know precisely how to effectively communicate with their members to effect the type of desired response needed to mitigate the spread of, and ultimately eradicate HIV and AIDS from within their respective communities.

Therefore, as this year’s World AIDS Day theme boldly states: “Let Communities Lead,” it becomes a clarion call for considerable importance to be placed on strategically engaging community leadership in the AIDS response throughout the world, and even as together we in the region push to achieve not only the 95-95-95 targets but also to realise an AIDS-free Caribbean by 2030.

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/

Contact Us:

PANCAP Coordinating Unit (PCU)
CARICOM Secretariat
13-15 Area F Plantation, Turkeyen,
Greater Georgetown, Guyana

TEL: (592) 222-0001 – 06 ext. 3415

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat is pleased to inform that during the Forty-Fifth Meeting of the Council of Human and Social Development (COHSOD) on Health, held recently in Washington D.C., Mr. Dereck Springer, a citizen of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, was appointed to serve as the Board Member for the Latin America and the Caribbean Constituency of the Global Fund Board for the period 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2025.

Mr. Dereck Springer is an Independent Consultant and a former Director of the PANCAP Coordinating Unit (PCU), CARICOM Secretariat. He is a public health and behavioral specialist with 30 years of experience in the health sector, primarily in HIV, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Mental Health. Mr. Springer began his public health career as a Volunteer Counsellor at the Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic, Guyana. His extensive experience in policy, program management and implementation at the national and regional levels has been facilitated by his work with civil society, government, regional and international development partners.

He served as Senior Advisor for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Global AIDS Program Guyana, UNAIDS’ Focal Point Guyana and National Coordinator of Voluntary Counselling and Testing for the Ministry of Health. He is a former Chair of the Implementer Group of the Global Fund Board and Communications and Governance Focal Points for the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) delegation to the Global Fund Board and was designated Board Member for the Forty-ninth Meeting of the Global Fund Board held in Hanoi, Vietnam in May 2023.

Mr. Springer provided transformational leadership for institutionalizing the Implementer Group of the Global Fund Board, brokered a harmonious relationship with the Donor Group and the Global Fund Secretariat, and successfully advocated for the Inspector General’s review and recommendation for increased funding for Implementer constituencies and provision of annual funding to support the Implementer Leadership and their engagement with the Board, committees, and constituencies while successfully advocating for continued Global Fund resources for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Friday, 8 September, 2023, (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, is pleased to welcome its new Director, Dr. Wendy Telgt-Emanuelson, who was appointed with effect from September 1, 2023.

Dr. Telgt-Emanuelson will lead PANCAP’s dialogue with CARICOM governments, international donors and partners, and other stakeholders, in the continued implementation of a coordinated and structured regional approach for an AIDS-free Caribbean. She will lead the PANCAP Coordinating Unit to ensure the delivery of regional public goods that will support national programmes and advance PANCAP’s regional objectives.

Before joining PANCAP, Dr. Telgt-Emanuelson served as a National Consultant on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health at the PAHO/WHO Office in Suriname.  She has vast knowledge and experience in public health policy development and implementation and has led a number of national public health programmes in Suriname.

A Surinamese national, Dr. Telgt-Emanuelson holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Public Health from the Central University of Nicaragua, a Master of Science Degree in Public Health from Walden University, USA, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavioural Science from Andrews University, USA.

Dr. Telgt-Emanuelson brings to PANCP a wealth of knowledge and experience in strategic health policy development and will certainly serve to advance the work of the Coordinating Unit in its programme planning and execution in the continued fight against HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean region.

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 the 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/

Contact Us:

PANCAP Coordinating Unit (PCU)
CARICOM Secretariat
13-15 Area F Plantation, Turkeyen,
Greater Georgetown, Guyana

TEL: (592) 222-0001 – 06 ext. 3415

Thursday, 15 September 2022 (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, will facilitate a five-day South-South Knowledge Exchange event in collaboration with the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) in Kingston, Jamaica from 19 to 23 September 2022.

The weeklong activity will allow regional stakeholders to examine the planning, implementation, and evaluation of JASL’s Prevention, Treatment, Enabling Environment and Human Rights programmes.  The initiative aims to strengthen the regional HIV response by identifying best practices from JASL’s model in HIV Management/Programming with special emphasis on Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and other specialised treatment and care services that cater to vulnerable populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers and transgender persons.

The South-South Exchange is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.  It will include key civil society organisations (CSOs) that implement HIV programmes from seven (7) countries within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), including the Commonwealth of Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Kandasi Walton-Levermore, Executive Director, JASL, is delighted about the initiative, “regional participants will be exposed to the lessons learnt and the factors contributing to the successful delivery of HIV prevention and treatment services for key populations (KPs) and People Living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.” She added, “JASL will share its customised approach in service delivery to achieving an enabling environment for improved access to HIV services for all.”

The exchange will also focus on the coordination and collaboration mechanisms between JASL, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW), other CSOs, the private sector and other partners in delivering comprehensive HIV services.  In addition, participants will develop country-specific action plans to enhance collaboration among participants in the South-South initiative.

JASL’s Executive Director underscored that the South-South Knowledge Exchange would be a significant step toward building capacity in HIV programme implementation to achieve the 95-95-95 Targets for ending AIDS.

– ENDS –

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/

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 which was established on 14 February 2001.  PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilises resources and build capacity of partners.

What is the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL)?

JASL’s genesis was in the late 1980s when a group of friends responded to the needs of a peer who had become infected with highly stigmatised HIV and faced discrimination in the health care system.  This act led other individuals who were facing similar challenges to the group.  Additionally, the existing government response was preventive and not targeted to include the most vulnerable groups, including persons already infected with HIV, MSM and SW.

In 1991, the organisation was first established as Jamaica AIDS Support (JAS), and was the first NGO specifically responding to HIV.  JAS was urged by the Ministry of Health to continue the work among PLHIV, MSM and SW as trust had been established through the provision of a stigma free zone in which everyone could access testing, counselling and treatment regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, occupation, colour, class economic status or religion.

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.

Friday, 9 September 2022 (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, will facilitate a “Joint Regional Dialogue among Key Stakeholders and Partners” of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) multi-country grant in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, 13 – 15 September 2022.

The Dialogue is a result of a collaboration with the Global Fund,  the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) platform and the consortium of Sub-Recipients consisting of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) and the Centro de Orientación e Investigación Nacional (COIN) of the multi-country grant.

Over eighty (80) participants are expected to attend, including Caribbean Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) members, who represent communities affected by the three (3) diseases, as well as key and vulnerable populations (Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and Suriname), OECS Regional Coordinating Mechanism (RCM) members, Caribbean networks of key populations participating in the multi-country grant, National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers, Civil Society Organisation (CSO) representatives implementing grant activities, technical assistance providers/agencies, International Development Partners including the Global Fund, USAID/PEPFAR, PAHO and UNAIDS.

According to Dr. Shellon Bovell, Project Coordinator, Global Fund (GF), CARICOM Secretariat, the Dialogue will maximise learning, coordination and synergies among recipients of the multi-country grant.

She further explained that this would allow stakeholders to discuss priority issues, including the effective use of resources and added value for beneficiaries of the grant, while sustaining the gains in HIV programming.

Specifically, the Dialogue will seek to improve coordination and collaboration between the regional GF project, national GF grants, national programmes, civil society and communities in their responses to HIV, Tuberculosis (TB) and malaria through sharing experiences, strategies and best practices.

“We will also seek to identify challenges affecting the expansion of the response to HIV, TB and malaria in the Caribbean and to improve the understanding of the Global Fund processes by all stakeholders, including communities and beneficiary countries that will have a significant impact on our Region”, stated Dr. Bovell.

She further explained that national programmes and CSOs would share their experiences and lessons learned from involvement and engagement in Global Fund-related processes in the Caribbean.

The overarching objective is to foster more synergies among stakeholders of the multi-country grant to fulfil the vision of an AIDS-free Latin America and the Caribbean.

Contact: 
Timothy Austin
Senior Project Officer, Communications
PANCAP Coordinating Unit
CARICOM Secretariat
Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana

EDITOR’S NOTES

• Technical Assistance (TA) to support communities and civil society groups to engage in national processes linked to Global Fund investments.
• Long-term strengthening of HIV, TB and malaria organisations and networks and engagement funds for women and girls, and
• Regional Civil Society Platforms for Communication and Coordination.

• 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.

Tuesday, 21 June 2022 (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, will facilitate a South-South knowledge exchange event in Georgetown, Guyana from 27-29 June 2022 in collaboration with Ministry of Health-Guyana and the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS).  The knowledge exchange is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and will focus on Guyana’s experience implementing Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HIV self-testing (HIVST).

The countries participating in the learning exchange event are Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Jamaica and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.  Eight (8) persons from the four (4) countries will participate, including National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers and Clinical Care Coordinators, HIV clinicians and civil society organisation (CSO) representatives who work closely with the national programme in the implementation of PrEP, HIVST and other aspects of the HIV response.

Participants will interact with representatives of the Ministry of Health, clinical, CSO representatives and beneficiaries of the Guyana HIV programme.

According to Dr Shanti Singh-Anthony, Coordinator, Knowledge Management, PANCAP, “participants will experience firsthand how the Ministry of Health, National AIDS Programme has coordinated and collaborated with CSOs, the private sector, and other stakeholders in delivering comprehensive HIV services in the community and to key populations (KPs), including implementing a PrEP programme and HIVST.

She also explained that site visits would be conducted to public, private and community clinics, where participants would have the opportunity to interact with clinic staff.  “This will allow participants to understand how the PrEP service delivery and HIVST are organised and delivered, the number and skill set of the clinical team, and other resources available for supporting service delivery,” stated Dr Singh-Anthony.

In addition, participants will interact with the beneficiaries of the clinics, particularly KPs.  There will also be opportunities for participants to accompany the NAP and CSO teams to community outreaches to identify and recruit KPs for HIV prevention, HIVST and PrEP.

Why Guyana?

Dr Singh-Anthony explained that Guyana was selected because of the progress made by the NAPS in PrEP and HIVST implementation and the wealth of experience to be shared with the Region.  Guyana is one of the first countries in the Region to have achieved the First 90.  At the end of 2020, 94% of People Living with HIV knew their HIV status.    Guyana has also made significant progress in delivering PrEP to KPs;  the NAPS has developed PrEP guidelines, trained clinicians, and developed systems.  PrEP is available at fifteen (15) public, private and CSO locations.

HIVST is in the pilot phase, and Guyana’s testing algorithm was validated.  HIVST kits can be accessed from four (4) public, private and CSO locations.  In addition, the NAPS has plans to scale up and make more sites accessible.

The South-South knowledge exchange is part of PANCAP’s overarching strategy to enhance the skills of National AIDS programme technical teams and CSO representatives in implementing PrEP and HIVST.

– ENDS –

Contact:

Timothy Austin

Senior Project Officer, Communications

PANCAP Coordinating Unit

CARICOM Secretariat

Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana

Email:      taustin.consultant@caricom.org

Tel: (592) 222-0001-75, Ext. 3409  | Visit www.PANCAP.org

EDITOR’S NOTES

What is Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)?

Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is the use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs by persons without HIV infection to prevent the acquisition of HIV.  It can be taken daily or on-demand, also known as event-driven PrEP.

What is HIV self-testing?

HIV self-testing allows people to take an HIV test and get their results in their home or other private location using an HIV self-testing kit.   It offers a way to make testing discreet, comfortable, and empowering.

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/

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 which was established on 14 February 2001.  PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilises resources and build 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.

Wednesday, 27 April 2022 (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, will provide over one hundred (100) programme planners and health care service providers from the Region with the opportunity to complete programmes on Clinical Management of HIV and Leadership and Management in Public Health with the Global Health E-Learning Program (eDGH), University of Washington.

Supported by the PANCAP-USAID Project via USAID Jamaica, the capacity building initiative commenced in 2021 with eighteen (18) clinical and public health practitioners completing the Clinical Management of HIV course.

The second cohort consists of sixty (60) participants from Belize, forty-five (45) from the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) and thirty-four (34) from Guyana.

Orientation sessions held in April focused on guidance on how to utilise the virtual platform and encouraging participants to use the knowledge gained to boost the Region’s HIV response.  Mr Ivan Cruickskank, Executive Director, CVC, stated that he was pleased to collaborate with PANCAP.  He explained that CVC coordinated access to the Leadership and Management of Public Health course for participants from eight (8) countries, including Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Martinique, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia, and Suriname.  In addition, the Executive Director emphasised the importance of building the capacity of all players in the HIV response and viewing all stakeholders as critical contributors to ending AIDS.

Mr Enrique Romero, Executive Director, National AIDS Commission (NAC) Secretariat, Belize, underscored the importance of learning and knowledge building to Belize’s HIV National Strategic Plan (NSP).  Dr Tariq Jagnarine, Programme Manager, National AIDS Programme Secretariat, Ministry of Health, Guyana, urged participants to share the knowledge gained with other Public Health stakeholders as Guyana prepares to implement several significant projects, including an HIV self-testing (HIVST) Pilot.

Dr Rhonda Moore expressed her gratitude to PANCAP and the National AIDS Programme (Guyana) for the opportunity to enhance her skills in HIV management.  She stated that the course was happening at an ideal time as programme implementers are challenged with returning the focus to HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) while the Region recovers from COVID-19.

Providing critical stakeholders in the HIV response with access to the courses forms part of PANCAP’s overarching strategy to protect and maintain the gains made in the HIV response.

– ENDS –

Contact:

Timothy Austin

Senior Project Officer, Communications

PANCAP Coordinating Unit

CARICOM Secretariat

Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana

Email:      taustin.consultant@caricom.org

Tel: (592) 222-0001-75, Ext. 3409  | Visit www.PANCAP.org

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/

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 which was established on 14 February 2001.  PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilises resources and build capacity of partners.

EDITOR’S NOTES

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.