Wednesday 15 January 2020 (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 host the first meeting of the PANCAP-CVC-COIN Technical Advisory Group for the Multi-Country Caribbean Global Fund Grant QRA-H-CARICOM 1838 titled “Sustainability of services for Key Populations in the Caribbean,” on 28 January 2020 at the CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana.

The US$6.5 Million grant commenced on 1 October 2019. The purpose of the grant is to provide sustainable HIV prevention, treatment and care services for key populations in the Caribbean Region including Men who have sex with men (MSM), Sex workers and Transgender people who are direct beneficiaries of the grant which will be shared by ten countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) is a regional, multi-sectoral body with a mandate to provide oversight to the PANCAP/CVC/COIN Global Fund Grant. That oversight includes ensuring that the implementation of the grant is focused, efficient and flexible, i.e. the TAG ensures that the execution is focused on the right activities, for the right populations and in the right places, in accordance with the performance framework of the PANCAP/CVC/COIN Global Fund Grant.  The TAG also ensures that there is efficient use of available resources.

According to Director of PANCAP, Dereck Springer, the upcoming meeting will provide TAG members with the opportunity to be oriented to the governance of the TAG, updated on the management of the grant and the implementation of activities including programmatic updates and information on disbursements.  “Members will also elect a Chair and Vice-Chair who will be responsible for ensuring that the TAG fulfils its mandate,” stated the Director, “bold and decisive leadership is needed to ensure that the implementation of the grant adequately addresses the sustainability of services for key populations”.  The Director further underscored that the success of the grant is crucial to the Region’s HIV response as it aligns with PANCAP’s vision of an AIDS-free Caribbean, one in which Caribbean people are empowered to fulfil their potential and live happy, healthy and peaceful lives.

-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 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

TAG Membership

The TAG consists of representatives from PANCAP including the PANCAP Priority Areas Coordinating Committee (PACC), Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC), and El Centro de Orientación e Investigación Integral (COIN) as grant owners; representatives from key population networks including recognised networks of Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV), Men who have sex with men (MSM), Transgender persons (TRANS), Sex Workers (SW), vulnerable youth and people who use drugs. Technical & implementing partners include the Caribbean Med Labs Foundation (CMLF), University of the West Indies – HIV and AIDS Response Programme (UWI-HARP), Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies Rights Advocacy Project (URAP), Regional Body Representing Faith-Based Organisations; Principal Recipient, CARICOM, representatives of the CCMs of each project country (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago). The TAG also includes Ex-office executives from PANCAP, CVC and COIN and three observers from UN/Multilateral Agencies/International Development Partners including UNAIDS, PEPFAR and UNDP.

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:

• Multi-Country Caribbean Global Fund Grant QRA-H-CARICOM 1838 “Sustainability of services for Key Populations in the Caribbean – project page

https://pancap.org/pancap-work/multi-country-caribbean-global-fund-grant-qra-h-caricom-1838-sustainability-of-services-for-key-populations-in-the-caribbean/

• PANCAP-CVC-COIN awarded Multi-country Caribbean Global Fund Grant

https://pancap.org/pancap-releases/pancap-cvc-coin-awarded-multi-country-caribbean-global-fund-grant/

• Global AIDS Update 2018 – Miles to Go:

https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/global-aids-update-2018-miles-to-go/