Media Releases – Page 35

A Program for strengthening diagnosis of Tuberculosis seeks to increase case detection in the Americas.

The “TB Laboratory Network Strengthening” Program, financed by the Global Fund to fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, is based on and fully aligned with the Global End TB Strategy and the Americas Regional Action Plan for Tuberculosis. The aim is to strengthen the three supranational research laboratories (SRLs) located in Argentina (National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Buenos Aires), Chile (Institute of Public Health, Santiago) and Mexico (Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference, Mexico City) that serve the majority of the TB national laboratory networks (NLNs) in Latin America and Caribbean, in order to increase the diagnosis capacities in twenty TB national laboratory networks (NLNs) from Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, México, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Dominica Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Program activities started on January 2017 and will extend until December 2019, including interventions such as procurement of diagnostics equipment and supplies to improve capacity in the three SRLs as well as establishing quality control through an annual external assessment of drugs sensitivity in order to define MDR/XDR-TB resistance patterns in samples provided by NLN to the pertinent SRL.

In addition, the SRLs improved role as technical assistance providers to the NLNs through at set of technical assistance activities conducted by their professional staff to seventeen countries during 2017. Furthermore, NLNs professionals will be participating in the internship programmed activities at their respective SRLs in 2018.

“With regard to the program activities implementation, we are trying to contribute to achieving the Global End TB Strategy Targets, supporting countries commitments that represent an ambitious challenge. That is why the program activities include high-level TB advocacy efforts not only at national level but also at the regional and Sub-regional level to achieve political and technical sustainability” said, Lourdes Kusunoki Fuero, Project Coordinator.

During the first year of the Program, complementary to other research studies performed by international organizations, three studies were conducted to obtain suitable information about timely measures to be addressed in order to support activities included in their TB control programs.

The studies were:
•“Structure and functioning of TB National Laboratory Network in the Americas Region”
•“Supranational research laboratories functioning related costs within the TB National Laboratory Network”
•“Situation analysis of the Information Systems in the Supranational Research Laboratories, National Laboratory of Reference and TB National Laboratory Network”

The Andean Health Organization (Organismo Andino de Salud – Convenio Hipólito Unanue / ORAS-CONHU) was selected as Principal Recipient in charge of financial resource management. This entity was created in 1971 in order to integrate the Health sector of the Andean Sub-Region. The ORAS-CONHU is co-chaired by six Ministers of Health from Andean countries (REMSAA) and the Executive Secretary is located in Lima, Peru. PAHO, with its technical expertise, and the Dominican Republic and Central America Ministries of Health Council (COMISCA), with head office in San Salvador, El Salvador, were selected as Sub-recipients.

“Main identified challenges within the project are related to the prioritization of the Laboratories TB Control Programs through their financial sustainability and human resources capacity building, solve huge inequities in wealth distribution, address the problem through a universal access and right to health approach, strengthened health governance, increased ministries leadership and intersectoral work to address social determinants related to health and the structural roots that exceed TB” highlighted Kusunoki Fuero.

J-FLAG happy with Prime Minster’s positive declaration about LGBT

J-FLAG, the Jamaican human rights and social justice organisation for LGBT people, said it is happy that Prime Minister Andrew Holness has spoken publicly in a positive way about the need to end discrimination against persons who are LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender).

Prime Minister Holness, at a Jamaica diaspora meeting in Brussels yesterday, declared that he does not subscribe to a view expressed in 2008 by then Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who said he would not appoint gays to his Cabinet.

The current prime minister added that Jamaica is increasingly tolerant of homosexuals, and the State protects the human rights of all citizens regardless of their sexual orientation or inclination.

In response, Executive Director of J-FLAG Jaevion Nelson told Jamaica News Online: “I am happy to hear the prime minister speak publicly about LGBT issues in such a positive light. Key individuals in government, at different levels, have been open to conversation with J-FLAG and LGBT people, and do as much as they can to ensure greater respect for human rights and to make Jamaica a more hospitable place for LGBT people.”

Nelson also stated that a number of churches have been of great assistance to members of his organization; a declaration that supports Prime Minister Holness’ view that local churches are no longer all united against homosexuals.

“J-FLAG continues to benefit tremendously from key allies in a number of churches/denominations over the years who use their influence to facilitate respectful dialogue among their congregants, promote respect for human rights and provide pastoral care for LGBT people who require their services,” Nelson explained. “Some of these individuals [from the churches] have made public statements while others have provided an open door for continued dialogue with us.”

Nelson also expressed hope that LGBT people will be celebrated locally, adding that the country is nowhere near where it should be in that regard.

“I am optimistic that there will come a time when LGBT people in Jamaica are respected and celebrated, [and] that there will be a time when one’s sexual orientation or gender identity isn’t used to persecute or deny them opportunities to live to their fullest potential,” he said.

Nelson added: “We are nowhere near where we need to be, but I understand and appreciate that change is often a slow and gradual process. Notwithstanding, Government must recognize that it has a duty to more systematically participate in engendering that gradual change by doing its part to protect and promote respect for human rights in its broadest sense. All of us have a responsibility to do what we can in our sphere of influence to help make the country a more hospitable place for its citizens and visitors who are LGBT.”

PANCAP Welcomes Global Lifestyle Foundation

The Launch of Global Lifestyle Foundation (GLF) was held on 28 April 2018 at the Royal St. Kitts Hotel Frigate Bay before an audience including former Governor General Sir Edmund Lawerence, former Ministers of Government, Ambassadors, faith leaders, representatives of community organizations, youth, and well-wishers.

The Right Honorable Dr Denzil Douglas former Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, former Chair of PANCAP and founder and chair of the Foundation outlined its origins, vision, and mission. He acknowledged that many individuals assisted him along the way and without their support and nurturing he would not have become a medical doctor much less a Prime Minister. “GLF is my attempt to give back to the community, the nation and the region. Its major programmes revolve around health and wellbeing, climate resilience and the green economy program and changing the lives of others for the better ” said Dr Douglas.

In his feature address, Dr Edward Greene former UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV and now PANCAP Advisor paid tribute to Dr Douglas for his exemplary role, unwavering commitment and effective advocacy for the regional integration process and his outstanding representation of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Caribbean Community. He commended the Chair and Board of Directors and said that “GLF is ideally conceived and its entry into the family of civil society could not be timelier ”

Dr Douglas continues to be an active member of the Network of regional parliamentarians and participated in the recently concluded PANCAP Joint Consultation of faith leaders, parliamentarians, youth key populations and National AIDS Coordinators in Trinidad and Tobago, 24-25 April.

Commenting on the launch, Dereck Springer, PANCAP Director stated, “I congratulate Dr Douglas, welcome the Global Lifestyle Foundation and look forward to its engagement in achieving the goals of the PANCAP Justice for All Roadmap”.

For more on the Global Lifestyle Foundation, click here.

Joint Regional Dialogue Ends With Call from Stakeholders to Create Enabling Environment to Reduce Stigma and Discrimination

Wednesday, 25 April, 2018 (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 Joint Regional Dialogue with Faith Leaders, Parliamentarians, Civil Society Leaders, National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers and Youth Leaders in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago with an urgent call from stakeholders for creating an enabling environment to reduce discrimination which acts as a barrier for vulnerable groups accessing health services and hinders efforts to reduce HIV infections.

The Dialogue, which included approximately 60 delegates from 14 Caribbean countries, was intended to facilitate an examination of national and regional issues and goals for ending HIV, and to take into consideration the targets established by the United Nations High Level Meeting Political Declaration June 2016 on ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030; the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals approved by 192 nations at the United Nations in September 2015, and the commitments made by civil society, faith-based and other implementing stakeholder groups for ending AIDS during the PANCAP consultations in 2016 and 2017.

Participants were tasked with proposing initiatives within the context of the CARICOM Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation and the PANCAP Justice for all Roadmap.

Create an enabling environment to prevent stigma and discrimination

Among the strategic initiatives proposed by the wide cross-section of stakeholders was the creation of an enabling environment to prevent stigma and discrimination, which participants indicated, would reduce the incidence of HIV, increase testing, increase the number of people receiving antiretroviral drugs which would result in less deaths from AIDS and cost-saving within the health-care sector.

Participants underscored the importance of removing the barrier of discrimination as critical to the region achieving the 90-90-90 Targets by 2020, and keeping on track for ending AIDS by 2030.

Sensitization on the CARICOM Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation

To achieve the removal of discrimination as a barrier, participants proposed a Public Awareness Campaign on the CARICOM Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation targeted at Human Rights Activists, parliamentarians, faith leaders and youth. The campaign is intended to educate these stakeholders on the use of the Model Legislation as a tool for mobilizing action to reduce instances of discrimination against vulnerable groups.

Emphasis was placed on educating parliamentarians on the model legislation and establishing connections with the existing parliamentarian network.

Utilizing established mechanisms such as the Youth Parliament and similar platforms to increase awareness of the Model was also proposed as a mechanism for sensitizing key stakeholders including subject ministries and ministers responsible for reporting on Member States’ human rights obligations.

Standardize HIV education across the Region

The lack of standardized HIV education at the tertiary level was identified as a barrier for reducing HIV infections; participants proposed advocating for the introduction of such a programme through collaborations with Ministries of Education with the intention of exposing youth within vulnerable groups to new data on HIV and AIDS.

Comprehensive proposal on saving costs through reducing HIV infections

Participants underscored the importance of highlighting the connection between saving costs within the health care sector and reducing HIV infections. A detailed, evidence-based proposal illustrating the financial savings from reducing HIV infections was proposed as a mechanism to empower parliamentarians to advocate at the highest-level for domestic funding for the HIV response.

Next steps for stakeholders

Parliamentarians committed to advancing strategic initiatives to adopt the Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation. These included identifying the barriers to countries’ adoption of the Model Legislation; introducing Private Members Bill, utilizing existing Parliamentary Social Services Committees; sensitizing parliamentarians on the Bill, judicial activism; and establishing a Regional Parliamentarian Network.

National AIDS Managers, Civil Society Leaders and Youth Leaders committed to working collaboratively at the national level to advance elements of the PANCAP Justice for All (JFA) Programme, including policy advocacy for the provision of psychosocial support as part of the elements of the JFA Roadmap; addressing social protection issues including domestic violence through interagency collaboration and social determinants of health; mapping civil society service delivery; and to strategically collaborate with Live Up! The Caribbean Media Alliance.

Faith leaders committed among others to continuing and strengthening their response to HIV; sharing best practices within the faith community; delivering education to address stigma and discrimination; highlighting the responsibilities that are associated with sex, and providing love and compassion.

In his closing remarks, Dr Edward Greene former UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, now PANCAP Special Advisor challenged participants to remain committed to the proposed review of the PANCAP Justice for All Roadmap and to enact the proposed initiatives with the overarching aim of successfully achieving the 90-90-90 Targets by 2020, and keeping on track for ending AIDS by 2030. He also challenged secular and faith stakeholders to foster age-related sexual education, promote tolerance and respect and to reconcile the difference between the rule of law and theology through respectful dialogue.

-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.

What are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 Targets?

By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.
By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.
By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

Contact:

Timothy Austin

Communications Specialist

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

Minister Webster-Roy commits Trinidad and Tobago to Ending AIDS by 2030 at Opening of PANCAP Joint Regional Dialogue

Tuesday, 24 April, 2018 (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 the Joint Regional Dialogue with Faith Leaders, Parliamentarians, Civil Society Leaders, National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers and Youth Leaders in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago with approximately 60 delegates.

The meeting came two years ahead of the 2020 deadline for reaching the 90-90-90 targets—90% of people living with HIV diagnosed, 90% of diagnosed people on treatment and 90% of those on treatment virally suppressed.

In his opening remarks, Director of PANCAP, Mr Dereck Springer stated that the meeting seeks to affirm the work done in response to HIV by stakeholder groups and individual organizations across the region. He explained that the five thematic areas for discussion include i) Access to HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health Services including adolescents’ access; ii) Stigma and Discrimination against People Living with HIV (PLHIV); iii) Access to Justice and Redress iv) Gender inclusive policies and laws; and v) Comprehensive sexuality education in schools.

The Director further explained that the aforementioned thematic areas were suggested by the stakeholders who participated in the various PANCAP consultations in 2016 and 2017 with faith leaders, parliamentarians, youth, key populations and NAP managers.

He stated, “We must now build upon these outcomes by facilitating the collaboration and partnership of our five stakeholder groups to take collective action to end AIDS by 2030”.

The PANCAP Director explained that the objective of the meeting is to move the stakeholders beyond information sharing and sensitization to discussing and agreeing on mechanisms or strategies for effecting harmonized and sustainable partnerships and collaboration between all stakeholder groups at the organizational, national, regional and international levels for ending AIDS.

Mr Springer highlighted that the most significant objective of the meeting is the identification of realistic joint organizational, national, regional and international level activities that the participants can partner, collaborate and engage in to advance the PANCAP Justice for All Roadmap and the Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation which was approved in 2012 but which no country has to date adopted in whole or in part. He emphasized the need for respectful dialogue over the next two days.

Dr Edward Greene former UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, now PANCAP Special Advisor delivered remarks on behalf of Professor Donald Simeon, Chair, Priority Areas Coordinating Committee (PACC) and Deputy Chair, PANCAP Executive Board. Professor Simeon in his speech emphasized the importance of examining the effects of stigma and discrimination. He noted that as a Health Research Scientist, he understands the value of using differences for the greater good. He explained that by observing how and why a few individuals respond differently to a specific exposure, many critical hypotheses can be generated, leading to life-saving discoveries in the field of medicine. Professor Simeon challenged the participants to seize the opportunity and use their differences to strengthen the regional response against HIV.

In her remarks, Hon. Nicolette Henry, Minister of Education, Republic of Guyana and Chair, PANCAP Regional Coordinating Mechanism commended PANCAP for creating a platform for collaboration among such a wide cross-section of stakeholders. “The dialogue has brought together a diverse group of advocates, experts, practitioners and stakeholders from across the region which is an embodiment of the commitment to achieve the internationally agreed targets for ending AIDS at national and regional levels,” stated Minister Henry.

She further stated that the Dialogue provides an ideal opportunity to take stock and reflect on how far we have come, and how far we have yet to go. She urged participants to collectively examine the many challenges still faced by the Caribbean in ending AIDS such as the annual number of new infections among adults across the Caribbean, which has remained static for the last six years at an estimated 17 000 as reported in 2016.

Minister Henry also highlighted that one-third (33%) of our Caribbean people living with HIV on treatment were not virally suppressed in 2016. “Additionally, retaining people on treatment has proven challenging for most countries in the region”, stated the Minister, “notably, of all people living with HIV in the Caribbean, 36% were unaware of their HIV status in 2016. And late diagnosis is still a challenge, particularly for men”.

Minister Henry also advocated for collective action for domestic financing of the HIV response. “If we are to ensure sustainability of the regional response and for ending AIDS, many countries in the region have to do more to make AIDS and health a financial priority,” stated the Minister, “let me say also that sustainability is not just about resources. It is also about ensuring that our responses are the most effective, based on science and epidemiology, and targeting those most in need. Sustainability is also about partnership”.

The Minister noted strong growth in the region’s HIV response, however, she warned that “more still needs to be done in order to sustain the response and the gains made”.

The Hon. Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, holding the portfolios of Gender and Child Affairs, Ecclesiastical Affairs and Central Administration Services, Tobago, in her feature address commended PANCAP for convening the meeting and thanked participants for tackling the issue of stigma and discrimination with honest discussions. She said that initiatives such as this are imperative as the Caribbean has a long way to go to achieve a future free of AIDS.

“As I look into the audience, I see a gathering of like-minded individuals who share a common interest for improving and sustaining the HIV and AIDS response within the region” stated Minister Webster-Roy, “It is through meetings like these that the realization of our future goal of ending AIDS by 2030 will be achieved”.

She further stated that the Region has made significant progress to date. “The Caribbean has halved the number of new infections among adults between 2000 and 2014”, stated the Minister, “however, our work is far from complete, as we have existing and new challenges to address. With the world economic downturn and the pending withdrawal of two key international donors, the funding mechanism will be affected in some countries, and the participating organizations gathered today, will be tasked with finding innovative ways for addressing the needs for sustaining our response campaigns”.

Minister Webster-Roy also challenged participants to examine national and regional issues and goals and to take into consideration the targets established by the United Nations High Level Meeting Political Declaration June 2016 on ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030; the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals approved by 192 nations at the United Nations in September 2015, and the commitments made by civil society, faith-based and other implementing stakeholder groups for ending AIDS.

She indicated “if we agree that our aim is a future free of AIDS and a reduction in the number of new HIV infections and if we understand that the effective guarantee of Human Rights is essential for our Sustainable Development Goals, we must also recognize that open, honest and consistent dialogue and collaboration are paramount to the achievement of our national, regional and international goals”.

The Minister emphasized that the region recognises that HIV is a critical development problem, which affects quality of life, labour, families, communities and the national economy in the present and the future. “Therefore, it is in your interest, along with all of our partners and stakeholders to ensure we all perform our critical roles in the care of persons infected and affected with HIV,” stated the Minister.

The Minister stated that all stakeholders must ensure that they all perform their critical roles in the prevention of and protection against HIV infection, and the mitigation of the spread of the disease. “It is conversations like these, which allow everyone, including representatives from Governments, to efficiently and effectively support meaningful change that benefits the region”.

The Minister reminded participants that CARICOM’s Vision Statement proposes a “Caribbean Community that is integrated, inclusive and resilient; driven by knowledge, excellence, innovation and productivity; a Community where every citizen is secure and has the opportunity to realise his or her potential with guaranteed human rights and social justice; and contributes to, and shares in, its economic, social and cultural prosperity; a Community which is a unified and competitive force in the global arena”.

Minister Webster-Roy invited participants to keep this vision in mind as they deliberate and agree on joint national and regional level policy formulation and activities for advancing the short, medium and long-term goals of the PANCAP Justice For All Roadmap to chart the way forward.

Minister Webster-Roy also pledged Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to ending AIDS and removing barriers of stigma and discrimination despite the challenges currently faced by the country. “I pledge our commitment to creating an environment that is both respectful and supportive to all including those living with or affected by HIV” she stated. “These are goals that I wholeheartedly believe we can achieve if we continue to place HIV and AIDS at the forefront of issues facing the Caribbean”.

The Minister underscored that the Joint Dialogue is another step in the correct direction for laying the foundations for increasing engagement and promoting solidarity among stakeholder groups as well as the persons they serve.

It is intended that the two-day Dialogue will culminate with practical and strategic initiatives for collaboration by all stakeholders under the PANCAP Justice for ALL (JFA) Programme for ending the AIDS epidemic.

– ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

What are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 Targets?

• By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.
• By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.
• By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

Contact:
Timothy Austin
Communications Specialist
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

PANCAP Presents Reverend Dr Nigel Taylor with Champions for Change Award

Friday, 20 April 2018 (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 present Reverend Dr Nigel Taylor, President of the Barbados Evangelical Association, with the Champions for Change Award during the PANCAP Faith Leaders Consultation at the L.V. Harcourt Lewis Auditorium “Melbourne” Barbados.

Dr Taylor was recognized for his significant work and advocacy towards greater involvement of the faith community in national and regional HIV responses.

Dr Taylor stated that the leadership within the faith communities must be engaged at all times and that they should be a critical part of the decision-making process at all levels in the response to HIV and AIDS. He reiterated that Ministers are strategically placed in communities and as such, they must continue to “serve this present age.”

Dr Taylor is the Minister in Charge of the Calvary Evangelical Church. He holds Doctoral Degrees in the disciplines of Theology and Psychology. In addition to being the President of the Barbados Evangelical Association, he is the former Vice President of the Evangelical Association of the Caribbean.

He served as Chairman of the National HIV/AIDS Commission of Barbados and engaged the denominations in the country to get involved in the HIV and AIDS response.

Dr Taylor was also part of the Barbados Delegation to The UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV (UNGASS) and a Barbados’ representative to the 2012 AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C.

The Director of PANCAP, Mr Dereck Springer, who highlighted the value that Dr Taylor has brought to the region’s HIV response, presented the award. “Faith Leaders have a tremendous influence in shaping positive attitudes towards People Living with and Affected by HIV”, stated the Director.

Dr Taylor was officially named a PANCAP Champion for Change during the relaunch of the initiative (Champions for Change IV) on 12 September 2017 at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, Guyana, but was unable to attend due to prior commitments.
The Director of PANCAP explained that the PANCAP Champions for Change “was conceived as a “brand” or approach for promoting the reduction of stigma and discrimination and was intended to complement other approaches. It was felt that given the sensitivities involved in stigma and discrimination, the use of “Champions” to advocate for a change in attitudes could have a positive impact”.

The award presentation will be made during the Barbados chapter of the PANCAP Faith Leaders Consultation, which is a follow up to the national and regional consultations, which commenced in 2017, with a number of regional activities scheduled for 2018. The first Regional Faith Leaders Consultation held on February 1 and 2, 2017 in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, focused on the contributions of Faith Leaders toward ending the epidemic by 2030. It specifically addressed the recommendations from the UN High Level 2016 Political Declaration and agreed on strategies to promote healthy living for all age groups, addressed best practices, identified gaps to be filled, resources required and types of regional cooperation to be undertaken to implement recommendations from the consultation.

The PANCAP special Conference of Faith Leaders in Guyana on November 2005 set the stage for institutionalizing faith-based organizations in the PANCAP structure and utilizing their contributions to shape the various iterations of the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF), the latest being 2014-2018. The CRSF is the basis for the guidelines of the PANCAP network for action and resource mobilization especially in the areas of treatment, prevention, stigma and discrimination.

The 2017 Champions for Change include Guyana’s First Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger; the Executive Director of LIVE UP Dr. Allyson Leacock; Attorney-at-law Dr. Arif Bulkan; Canon of the Cathedral in the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, Canon Garth Minott, Member of Parliament (Guyana), Dr. Frank Anthony; the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Law and Economics (ILE), Jamaica, Dwayne Gutzmer; Founder and Managing Director of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) in Guyana, Joel Simpson; Executive Director of the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) Kenita Placide; Speaker of the National Assembly of Belize and Chairperson of the National AIDS Commission, Laura Tucker-Longworth; Chair of the Caribbean Forum for Liberation and Acceptance of Genders and Sexualities (CariFLAGS), Lucien Govaard; Guyana’s professional squash player, Nicolette Fernandes; President of the Barbados Evangelical Association, Dr Nigel Taylor; Director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme at the Bahamas Ministry of Health, Dr Nikkiah Forbes; Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh; Operations Manager, Centro de Orientación e Investigación Integral (COIN), Vanessa Uziely Rosario Brito; Deputy Programme Manager within the Communications Unit at the CARICOM Secretariat, Volderine Hackett; and Senior Pastor of The Poonah Open Bible Miracle Centre (POBMC), Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Rev. Winston Mansingh.

– ENDS –

Editor’s Notes:

What is the PANCAP Champions for Change Initiative?

The Champions for Change Initiative seeks to address the issue of stigma and discrimination through key advocates who are leaders in their communities and willing to be forerunners of the effort to change attitudes.

This Initiative has its genesis in the December 2003 Breakfast Meeting between the UK’s Prime Minister Mr. Tony Blair and Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and was based on the identification by The Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Chair of PANCAP, that the issue of stigma and discrimination was a major gap in the Region’s response to HIV and AIDS.

Hence, the explicit recommendation from that meeting was that a joint UK/DFID-CARICOM/PANCAP Conference be held with a view to establishing a programme for reducing stigma and discrimination against People Living with HIV and AIDS.

What is PANCAP?

What are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 Targets?

NAC Belize hosts workshop on Guidelines for the Comprehensive Care of Gay Men and Other Men who have Sex with Men

The National AIDS Commission (Belize) and the Ministry of Health through the United Nations Development Programme hosted a three-day training entitled “Guidelines for the Comprehensive Care of Gay Men and Other Men who have Sex with Men” from 11- 13 April 2018.

The programme focused on improving the health services offered to this key population and meeting the UNAIDS 90-90-90 Treatment Target by 2020. This sensitization workshop trained a total of 25 Health Care Providers presenting a variety of medical settings countrywide.

Dr. Lydia Guerra was the lead facilitator of the three-day training along with the following invited facilitators: Ms. Martha Carrillo (MC Consultancy), Mr. Kevin Mendez (Ministry of Health), Mr. Karl Wade (Empower Yourself, Belize Movement) and Mr. Aston Chavarria (Belize Youth Empowerment for Change).

The activity is part of the National AIDS Commission’s strategic programme in response to HIV and AIDS in Belize.

Antiretroviral shortage reaches 100% in Venezuela

Image: Alberto Nieves, Director de ACCSI.

On the World Health Day, Corresponsales Clave (LAC Key Correspondent Team) spoke with Alberto Nieves, Executive Director of Acción Ciudadana Contra el SIDA (ACCSI), a CSO from Venezuela, about the setbacks that health has had in that country that takes him away from the well-known slogan promoted for this year by the World Health Organization: “Health for All”.

Alberto is an activist who lives with HIV and who continues to defend the rights of people living with HIV in this Caribbean country and told us that “by March 2018, the shortage of antiretroviral drugs reached 100% in Venezuela, which It is affecting more than 80 thousand people with HIV. This is the conclusion of the monitoring process carried out by the country-wide Focal Points of the Venezuelan Network of Positive People (RVG +), with the technical support of Acción Ciudadana Contra el SIDA (ACCSI). They have been monitoring the specialized pharmacies for the delivery of antiretroviral drugs (ARV) located in the Venezuelan states and attached to the public health system. ” Alberto Nieves, director of ACCSI.

We do nothing with only some drugs.

In the monitoring carried out, says Nieves, it was identified that in some pharmacies there were still 4 types of antiretrovirals, of the 27 that the Venezuelan National AIDS Program, but that cannot be delivered. “The few (medicines) that exist have not been able to be provided to people with HIV, since these drugs need to be taken with other antiretrovirals that are in short supply, which prevents compliance with the technical standard of the Ministry of Health and recommendations International Organizations of the World Health Organization (WHO), how is it that “ART schemes must be based on a combination of at least 3 ARVs”.

To illustrate the situation, Alberto gives us an example: “this is the case of the antiretroviral Darunavir that must be given together with ritonavir to complete the therapy. Since 2017, the Ministry of Health maintains a total of 12,000 bottles in its stores, but they have not been able to be delivered to people with HIV who require it, given that ritonavir is not available. By November 2017 there were 850 people with HIV who required this antiretroviral regimen, many of them reported that they had more than six (6) months without taking it. Darunavir is a medicine that is part of the rescue treatment, which is prescribed to those people with HIV who have presented multiple failures or failures in at least two different antiretroviral regimens. For many of these people, this is the only scheme left for them to continue living, according to the opinion of their treating physicians. “
The list of 100% unsuppressed drugs is long: abacavir, abacavir / lamivudine, efavirenz, efavirenz / tenofovir / emtricitabine, etravirine, tenofovir, tenofovir / emtricitabine, lamivudine, lamivudine / zidovudine, lopinavir / ritonavir, nevirapine, raltegravir, reyataz, rilpivirine / tenofovir / emtricitabine, ritonavir, and zidovudine are some of them.

No solutions for the short-term.

For several years, the Venezuelan Network of positive people has reported episodes of stockouts. Very large episodes that put the health and lives of thousands of people at risk, but episodes that were overcome with last-minute measures. But the current situation is more serious; Nieves tells us that, due to the accumulation of debt with the Strategic Fund for Medicines of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which would reach 20 million dollars, they have not been able to continue supplying medicines to the country. A similar situation happens with other drug suppliers who are reluctant to sell to Venezuela due to the large debts that the country maintains.

According to Nieves, the national investment to guarantee the supply of medicines and reagents for follow-up tests for 80 thousand people does not exceed 12 million dollars and, nevertheless, the country spent 25 million dollars in the purchase of weapons for the army in the year 2016.
Alberto does not miss the opportunity to call attention to us: “This crisis of the shortage of antiretroviral drugs could have been avoided if we had attended to the different and timely alerts made almost a decade ago by the RVG +, ACCSI and other NGOs with work in HIV in our country. Several reports prepared by ACCSI and RVG + prove it.”

Deterioration of health, a 20-year retreat

The social and economic deep crisis of Venezuela has caused millions of people to see their health at threat. It begins to report that the population on average has lost about 11 kg of their weight in the last two years. In the population of people with HIV this weight loss contributes to a worse their health, coupled with the lack of medication, can cause death.
Most antiretrovirals have a 100% stook out.

“The lack of antiretroviral drugs has caused thousands of deaths due to AIDS, hundreds and hundreds of people have suffered health relapses (…). In the last two years, there has been an increase in cases of people with Kaposi Sarcoma, a type of skin cancer that was eradicated at the beginning of the year 2000, thanks to the access of antiretroviral therapy that Venezuela had at that time. It is also observed that in public health centers people are arriving in very critical health states and in a terminal face, when evaluating doctors consider them AIDS cases, they return them to their homes, because they lack the medicines and clinical equipment that can rescue them to live. “
Abandoned by the government and the international community

The director of ACCSI is energetic in pointing out that “people with HIV are totally abandoned by the government of President Nicolás Maduro, who is mainly responsible for his inaction and omission in the face of situations of threats and risks to their lives and health, with irreversible damages in the aspects of health, psychological and moral “.
The crisis has reached such a point that no one is saved: “100% of people with HIV and AIDS, of all ideologies, with different economic and educational status, are being affected in the same way, they are violating their human rights” says Nieves.
Humanitarian Aid, now!

The only way to do something for Venezuelans at this time is through humanitarian aid from international cooperation and Nieves makes an immediate demand: “There are international protocols for those countries that are in emergency, as is the case of Venezuela, which must be implemented immediately, since otherwise thousands of deaths will continue to occur. We can not understand what are the reasons why the agencies of the United Nations system or the Global Fund do not apply humanitarian emergency protocols in Venezuela. We wonder how many more deaths will be required for the United Nations to implement such mechanisms in our country? “

On April 19th the Venezuela Crisis Group will organize a meeting with Venezuelan Civil Society

Join the meeting in this link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/33502939

AHF Applauds Decision of Trinidad & Tobago High Court to Declare Buggery Law Unconstitutional

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, W.I. (April 16, 2018) The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today applauds the move by the Trinidad and Tobago High Court to declare the buggery law—a Colonial-era anti-LGBT law— unconstitutional “This is a welcome development for the Caribbean and I hope other countries will follow,” said Caribbean Regional Director for AHF, Dr. Kevin Harvey.

The High Court of Trinidad and Tobago handed down a ruling on Thursday April 12 that declared unconstitutional Sections 13 and 16 of the country’s Sexual Offences Act that prohibit same-sex relations.

“HIV/AIDS administrators across the Caribbean have for years been pointing out that the buggery law impedes the success of initiatives to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission and offer adequate treatment and care. It also adds to discrimination which prevents certain groups from coming forward to receive the care and treatment they may need,” Dr. Harvey explained.

“The removal of this impediment will do a lot for efforts to redress incidents of stigma and discrimination as well as formulate and action policies against discrimination. This we believe will enable a more inclusive environment, allowing persons to take full advantage of the HIV/AIDS services available in their country,” Dr. Harvey pointed out.

Meanwhile, Southern Bureau Chief for AHF Caribbean, South and Central America, Michael Kahane, said the development augers well for advocacy for inclusiveness with respect to persons’ ability to freely access HIV/AIDS services especially those in high risk groups. “This is a step in the right direction as it relates to reducing and eventually eliminating stigma and discrimination,” he said.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 889,000 individuals in 39 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Europe and 14 across 15 states and the District of Columbia in the US. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare.

# # #

Media contact:

Dr. Kevin Harvey
Caribbean Regional Director
AIDS Healthcare Foundation
183 Hagley Park Rd.
Kingston 11, Jamaica WI.
Kevin.Harvey@aidshealth.org
http://www.aidshealth.org

PANCAP Multi-stakeholders Forum to discuss collective strategy for ending AIDS.

Monday, 16 April, 2018 (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 Joint Regional Dialogue with Faith Leaders, Parliamentarians, Civil Society Leaders, National AIDS Programme Managers and Youth Leaders.

Approximately 60 delegates representing Parliamentarians, Faith Leaders, Youth Leaders, Key Populations, People Living with HIV and Civil Society from across the Caribbean will meet in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on 24 – 25 April 2018. Their major focus as stakeholder groups under the PANCAP Justice for ALL (JFA) Programme is how best to collaborate to end the AIDS epidemic.

Since the inauguration of the JFA Programme in November 2013, PANCAP has convened approximately 16 consultations with national and regional stakeholder groups, meeting separately and in some cases jointly. All groups have agreed to contribute to ending AIDS around 15 actionable recommendations included in the PANCAP JFA Road Map. Some of these actions are already being implemented. Others can be implemented immediately while a few others require further discussion for implementation in the medium and long terms.

PANCAP Director, Mr Dereck Springer referring to the latest status report on AIDS by UNAIDS is of the view that “while there have been many successes in the areas of prevention and treatment, much more has to be done with respect to behaviour change, reducing stigma and discrimination, sustainable financing for HIV and integrated health if we are to get to the finishing line. AIDS is far from over”.

Indeed, the Caribbean can celebrate the fact that seven of the 11 Countries in the World to achieve the elimination of mother-to-child transmission are from this region and approximately 52 percent of People Living with HIV are on treatment today compared to less than 5% when PANCAP was established in 2001. Scientific studies have established the 90-90-90 Targets. These reveal that if by 2020, 90 percent of the people living with HIV get tested, 90 percent of those testing positive are treated immediately and 90 percent of those on treatment achieve low levels of virus in their blood so as not to transmit the disease, AIDS can be ended by 2030.

Test, Treat and Defeat

This multi-stakeholder Consultation is a continuation of an ongoing dialogue. It is organized to give each stakeholder group an opportunity to propose how they plan to contribute to achieving the end of AIDS and what type of collaboration is required.

The Regional Parliamentarians Forum held in Jamaica in May 2017 comprising 55 participants from government and opposition parties agreed to examine how best to implement the PANCAP Model Anti-Discrimination policies approved by the CARICOM Legal Affairs Committee in 2012.

Approximately 60 Faith Leaders representing a cross section of religious denominations from across the region met in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in February 2017 and issued a declaration with 10 actionable recommendations. Among the recommendations was to establish a Regional Consultative Group and National Faith Leaders Network and to include representatives of Key Populations to discuss the way forward. This was followed by a joint consultation of Faith Leaders and Key Populations in Suriname in February 2018.

Mr Colin Robinson, Chair of the Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO) and Co-Chair of the Joint Consultation warned that while we expect to encounter differences in opinions, this multi stakeholder consultation will be meaningful only if participants put forward frank ideas and are committed to honesty.

Canon Garth Minott Co-Chair, reflecting on the Joint consultation in Suriname said, “the agreements (from the joint consultation) will be valuable input into the agenda of the multi stakeholder forum partnership, as principles is one of the outcomes.”

Among the recommendations to advance policies and programmes designed to reduce stigma and discrimination were calls to the faith community to “create spaces of hospitality” based on human rights for all, reach out to the marginalized groups and incorporate sexual education in their programmes. Key Populations were requested to foster a spirit of appreciation for the differences among religious leaders and denominations through respectful engagement.

“This multi stakeholder consultation must constructively chart the way forward by accelerating the implementation of those common agreements while working through respectful dialogue rather than dogmatism to overcome differences among and even within stakeholder groups. Only in this way can we contribute to ending AIDS” said Dr Edward Greene former UN Secretary General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, now PANCAP Special Advisor.

– ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

What are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 Targets?

By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.
By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.
By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

Contact:

Timothy Austin

Communications Specialist

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