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Press Release

New Director to head PANCAP Coordinating Unit

September 8, 2023
Dr. Wendy Telgt-Emanuelson (PANCAP Director)

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.

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/