Media Releases – Page 41

Feature address by His Excellency, Patrick Pengel, Minister of Public Health on the occasion of the Dialogue between Regional Faith Leaders and Regional Key Population Leaders

Paramaribo, Suriname
Courtyard Marriott
February 7-9
Opening Remarks

Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS Dialogue between Regional Faith Leaders and Regional Key Population Leaders

His Excellency, Patrick Pengel, Minister of Public Health

Greetings to our Caribbean friends and colleagues. Welcome to Paramaribo, Suriname. Hope you will have a wonderful stay in Suriname.

The Government of Suriname is honored the PANCAP brought this Dialogue between Regional Faith Leaders and Regional Key Population Leaders to Suriname. Suriname is known for its peaceful co-existence of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious population. It is our pride and our benchmark and will prove to be a fertile environment for this dialogue.

This year the world will commemorate 35 years of HIV, 30 years of World AIDS Day, 20 plus years of life saving HIV combination anti-retroviral medicine, four years since the proclamation of the 90-90-90 targets, 2 years since the United Nations High Level Meeting and the proclamation of elimination of AIDS by 2030 and leaving no one behind.

Progress is being made in the world in the fight against HIV, 19.5 million people are reportedly now accessing anti-retroviral treatment, but there are still another 17 million people left to access treatment.

In Suriname there are 2400 persons on treatment, this is a 60% increase from 2014 and the gap of persons still needing treatment is expected to swiftly decline as Suriname as a country has officially committed to ‘Treat All’ on World AIDS Day 2017. However, there still remains a gap of more than 40% of persons living with HIV in Suriname that require access to treatment. In the Latin America- Caribbean Region 46% of persons living with HIV are successfully on treatment. At least another 40% of persons living with HIV will be added to this number before this gap is sufficiently bridged.

The Region is doing much better in eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission. We applaud the six Caribbean countries that were validated for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission this past World AIDS Day. We applaud this achievement and are motivated to work towards our own validation.

But amidst these successes, we in Suriname, in the Caribbean, in the World know there are gaps that exist in access to treatment and prevention of HIV under Men having Sex with Men, Transgenders, Sex Workers, youth at risk, women, elders, and people who use drugs in our societies.

What is the gap we need to bridge in order to reach the 90-90-90 targets for all? Do we know where we stand in our communities specifically for those at higher risk? If you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far, as in 90-90-90 far, go with many – take your whole community along the journey, leave no one behind!

Do we know in each of our respective countries what the gaps are? Is everyone in our society involved in the journey towards 90-90-90? Are our communities well informed about HIV and AIDS? Do they know that it is always better to know than not know; as the Brazilians say “living better Knowing” and we in Suriname say “Sab I Libi, Tek a Test”

Do we know how to prevent ourselves from getting infected? But also, do we know how to live a healthy fulfilling life, if needed, with HIV? Do we know that a person on treatment who is undetectable, He/ She also is Un-infectious? Do our programs share this very important information with our population? Do share this important message to everyone; leave no one behind!

In Suriname like all other countries it takes daily commitment, improvement of health information systems, sharing these data and developing strategies with the involvement of all stakeholders to strengthen the health programs in general, and the HIV programs specifically.

In Suriname, we have been able to better analyze the continuum of care in key populations, due to linking data acquired during HIV prevention outreach in key population and linking those with our treatment database. We are convinced that the continuum of HIV care will be improved by practicing knowledge management and strategic alliances.

Humans are social beings

All children that are neglected, are withheld tender love and care, stop growing, stop reaching their developmental milestones. This is the same with adults, they may be deeply affected and not reach their God-given potential when not accepted or when rejected by their loved ones, by their friends and families, by their colleagues at work, by their churches, by society as a whole. Rejection on the bases of how one looks, dresses, acts in accordance or not with one’s biological sex creates and maintains inequity in our society.

The vision of the Ministry of Health is ‘Health for All’ also stated in our Surinamese constitution as the ‘Right to Health’ in line with WHO’s ‘Universal Access to Health’. Equity in health is a beacon which governments are working towards and governments know it will not be easy reaching these goals. Policies and laws designed to guarantee equity in life circumstances and in health do not always work as intended. Even when redress mechanisms are in place, stigma and discrimination often prevent victims from coming forward.

If stigma and discrimination are existing, their roots run deep. Too many persons rather suffer or die in pain than come forward and get help and treatment for HIV and AIDS because of the stigma, because of the discrimination.

Too many persons rather not know their status than come forward and have a fellow community member judge and reject them for the profession they do, the sexual preference they have, or maybe the age of their first sexual encounter. Too many persons don’t access care for these reasons. They are being left behind.

But nonetheless, key populations are part of our communities. They are our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, colleagues, sport team members, our fellow churchgoers, our fellow human beings, they are us. The key populations are part of our communities. They are religious, they live, love, work, and contribute to our societies. We are aware of the challenges existing between religious teachings and non-alignment with certain behaviors. We are not here to deny that gap, to force alliance no matter what. But we do think compassion for all and the opportunity of consolation through religion is a basic human right. Religion is often a fundamental part of the life of human beings, certainly in our Caribbean Region. Even more so in those that are marginalized and ill. In illness, even non-religious persons often seek closure and healing in faith. Thus it is even more important to have faith leaders included in the discussion on the prevention and care of HIV. Even more important to have faith leaders informed about the facts and the myths in HIV care. Even more important to have faith leaders supporting messages that advocate for health.

The legislative environment

We are aware that key populations seeking redress often face barriers of exposure, stigma, and discrimination in the process. In practice, this amounts to that although having a health for all policy, as well as workplace policies that adhere to ILO conventions in place, as is the case in Suriname, there still is a need to have additional measure taken to have justice served. Human Rights Help desks could serve an additional purpose in this regard.

In practice, this will also amount to the need for collaborative partnerships among LGBTI representatives, parliamentarians, and Religious Leaders, as well as with other representatives of key populations to complement and to sustain the positive legislative environment.

The relationship between faith and governance

In Suriname, there is freedom of religion and religious expression. Different religious groups are co-existing peacefully side by side. There is a council consisting of representatives of the different religions present in Suriname. The religious council in Suriname, IRIS= Inter Religieuse Raad in Suriname, is an important organ for Faith Leaders in Suriname to voice opinions and views on all kinds of socially relevant issues. This council, IRIS- Inter Religieuse Raad in Suriname, is well respected, already often consulted on social issues, already a best practice of organized involvement of Faith Leaders in socially important matters and could serve as a stepping stone towards greater alliances with government and disadvantaged groups in our society to improve health for all.

The Dialogue

This PANCAP dialogue between Regional Key Population Leaders and Regional Faith Leaders to reduce stigma and discrimination for all and create a positive environment for partnerships between stakeholders in order to bridge gaps in universal access to health in general and gaps in HIV and AIDS health services in specific. This dialogue is applauded by the Government of Suriname.

Suriname applauds PANCAP and all partners involved for taking innovative actions to achieve Health for All, amounting to the fact that this consultation is already a success before it has even happened.

In conclusion, the Government of Suriname again wishes to emphasize how honored and proud we are for having been chosen as a hosting location for this Regional Dialogue. On behalf of the Government of Suriname, we wish all participants a fruitful consultation and we are convinced that at the end of this consultation we will have closer alliances between all stakeholders involved, ensuring we are leaving no one behind on our journey to 90-90-90, our journey to Health for All.

Wishing you again a Fruitful Meeting, a great stay in Suriname and looking forward to having more PANCAP regional activities in Suriname

H.E. Patrick Pengel, Minister of Public Health, Suriname lauds Key Populations and Faith Leaders Dialogue

Wednesday, February 7 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, hosted H.E. Patrick Pengel, Minister of Public Health, Suriname at the opening of the Caribbean Regional Consultation of Key Populations and Religious Leaders on the Right to Health and Wellbeing for All in Paramaribo, Suriname, Wednesday, February 7.

In his feature address, His Excellency Patrick Pengel praised the initiative and stated that he was proud that Suriname is host to one of the first consultations between faith leaders and key populations in the Region. The key populations included sex workers, the LGBT community, the transgender community and youth.

“The Government of Suriname is honored that PANCAP brought this dialogue between Regional Faith Leaders and Regional Key Population Leaders to Suriname,” stated the Minister, “Suriname is known for its peaceful co-existence of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious population. It is our pride and our benchmark and will prove to be a fertile environment for this dialogue”.

He referred to the progress made in the world in the fight against HIV including the fact that 19.5 million people are reportedly now accessing anti-retroviral treatment but underscored that there are still another 17 million people left to access treatment.

The Minister posited “in Suriname, there are 2400 persons on treatment, this is a 60% increase from 2014 and the gap of persons still needing treatment is expected to swiftly decline as Suriname has officially committed to ‘Treat All’ on World AIDS Day 2017. However, there remains a gap of more than 40% of persons living with HIV in Suriname not accessing treatment. At least another 40% of persons living with HIV will be added to this number before this gap is sufficiently bridged”.

The Minister stated that the Region is progressing in eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis (EMTCT). He applauded the six Caribbean countries validated for EMTCT during the past World AIDS Day and stated that he is motivated by this achievement to work towards Suriname’s validation.

However, he warned that amidst these successes in the Caribbean, there are gaps that exist in access to treatment and prevention of HIV with regard to Men having Sex with Men, transgender, sex workers, youth at risk, women, elders, and persons who use drugs.

The Minister linked these gaps to the fear of stigma and discrimination by key populations. He stated, “Key populations are part of our communities. They are our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, colleagues, sport team members, our fellow churchgoers, our fellow human beings, they are us. Key populations are part of our communities. They are religious, they live, love, work, and contribute to our societies.

We are aware of the challenges existing between religious teachings and non-alignment with certain behaviors. We are not here to deny that gap, to force alliance no matter what. But we do think compassion for all and the opportunity of consolation through religion is a basic human right”.

The Minister further posited, “Religion is often a fundamental part of the life of human beings, certainly in our Caribbean Region. Even more so in those that are marginalized and ill. In illness, even non-religious persons often seek closure and healing in faith.
Thus, it is even more important to have faith leaders included in the discussion on the prevention and care of HIV. Even more important to have faith leaders informed about the facts and the myths in HIV care. Even more important to have faith leaders supporting messages that advocate for health”.

The Minister concluded by endorsing the engagement between faith leaders and key populations for creating a positive environment for partnerships between stakeholders in order to bridge gaps in universal access to health in general and specifically gaps in HIV and AIDS health services. “The Government of Suriname wishes to emphasize how honored and proud we are for having been chosen as a hosting location for this Regional Dialogue”, stated the Minister, “We are convinced that at the end of this consultation we will have closer alliances between all stakeholders involved, ensuring we are leaving no one behind on our journey to 90-90-90 and the right to health for all”.

– ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

PANCAP is a Caribbean regional partnership of governments, regional civil society organizations, regional institutions and organizations, 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

PAHO, Barbados and six Eastern Caribbean countries sign multi-country cooperation strategy for the next six years

Washington, DC, 2 February 2018 (PAHO/WHO) – High-level officials from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines joined the Director of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Carissa F. Etienne, today in signing a new multicountry strategy for technical cooperation in health through 2024.

“This strategy is your vision of how PAHO/WHO can best support the work of your ministries of health in improving the health of their people,” Etienne told the Caribbean health leaders. “It is aligned with your countries’ national health policies, strategies and plans as well as with established Caribbean-wide health goals and the United Nations Multicountry Sustainable Development Framework for the Caribbean.”

The new strategy is the second agreement of its kind between PAHO and this group of countries. It focuses on achieving previously unmet goals while also addressing new challenges the countries face, including health sector reform required to respond to the needs of aging populations, the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases, and the health effects of climate change, among others.

The 2018-2024 Multi-country Cooperation Strategy for Barbados and Eastern Caribbean Countries is based on five strategic priorities: strengthening the countries’ health systems to advance universal health coverage and access; reducing deaths and illness from communicable diseases like HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis B; achieving optimum family health throughout the life course; reducing the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs); and strengthening preparedness and response to health emergencies and disasters while also reducing environmental threats and risks.

“We hope that the priorities defined in this strategy will provide the support you need in the coming years to continue to make your health systems more resilient and to ensure that you achieve universal access to health and universal health coverage, as well as your other national health goals,” said Etienne.

During the signing event, Dr. Godfrey Xuereb, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean countries, noted that the strategy was developed through a consultative process involving all the countries and representatives from the public and private health sector, other government ministries, nongovernmental organizations, civil society and key development partners.

Present to sign the agreement at PAHO headquarters in Washington, D.C., were: Minister of Health and Environment of Dominica Kenneth Darroux; Minister for Health and Wellness of Saint Lucia Mary Isaac; Chief Medical Officer of Antigua and Barbuda Rhonda Sealey-Thomas; Chief Medical Officer of Grenada George Mitchell; Ambassador to the US and the Organization of American States (OAS) of Barbados Seldon Charles Hart; Ambassador to the US of St. Kitts and Nevis Thelma Phillip-Browne; and Alternate Representative to the US and the OAS of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Gareth Bynoe. Also attending the signing event was the Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Secretariat Didacus Jules; and Ana Treasure, Head of PAHO’s Country and Subregional Coordination.

“PAHO/WHO looks forward to continue working with other agencies and institutions, such as the Caribbean Public Health Agency, the University of the West Indies and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Secretariat, to improve the health of the Peoples of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean,” Etienne said. The signing took place a day after Etienne assumed her second term as PAHO Director.

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The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of its population. Founded in 1902, it is the world’s oldest international public health agency. It serves as the Regional Office of WHO for the Americas and is the specialized health agency of the Inter-American system.

CONTACTS:

Leticia Linn, linnl@paho.org, Tel. + 202 974 3440, Mobile +1 202 701 4005, Sebastián Oliel, oliels@paho.org, Tel. +202-974-3459, Mobile +1 202- 316 5679, Communications, PAHO/WHO – www.paho.org

Key Population and Faith Leaders to engage in dialogue on Reducing Stigma and Discrimination at Caribbean Regional Consultation on the Right to Health and Well being for all

Friday, February 2 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, in collaboration with the Regional Consultative Steering Committee for the Implementation of Recommendations to end AIDS by 2030 will convene the Caribbean Regional Consultation of Key Populations and Religious Leaders on the Right to Health and Wellbeing for All in Paramaribo, Suriname, February 7- 9, 2018.

The purpose of the consultation is to cultivate respectful and productive dialogue between faith leaders and key populations including sex workers, the LGBT community, the transgender community and other stakeholders. Forty participants will attend.

The three-day event will include highly interactive discussions on the gaps in the Treatment and Prevention of HIV with emphasis on access to data in order to address the prospects and requirements for achieving 90-90-90 targets by 2020; prevention gaps with special reference to public education and reducing stigma and discrimination faced by key populations.

The consultation will also seek to establish a mechanism for enhancing partnerships between the key populations and religious groups; articulate clearly the major determinants of stigma and discrimination and the requirements for the Partnership to remove these barriers. The promotion of a viable legislative environment with regard to human rights, human sexuality and human dignity will also engage the attention of participants.

According to Director of PANCAP, Mr Dereck Springer, “the consultation is the first of its kind, and is one of the 15 actionable recommendations stated in the Declaration of the PANCAP Consultation of Caribbean Religious Leaders held in Trinidad and Tobago, 1-2 February 2017”. The Director further explained that the joint forum will create an ideal space for faith leaders and key populations to discuss ways of collaborating to reduce AIDS-related stigma and discrimination.

Chair of the Regional Consultative Steering Committee for the Implementation of Recommendations to end AIDS by 2030, Canon Garth Minott underscored the critical need for religious leaders and representatives of key populations to share testimonies of their experiences in working with each other. He explained that the purpose is to identify models of collaborations or partnerships between these groups, which have positively benefitted People living with HIV and reduced AIDS-related discrimination.

The overarching purpose of the Consultation is to create a regional partnership between religious leaders and key populations to advocate, lobby and monitor regional governments to ensure they adhere to all international agreements that protect the right to health.

– 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?

Caribbean Strategy Meeting on Domestic and Innovative Financing for HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria

The following is a Call to Action which emanated from the three-day Caribbean Strategy Meeting on Domestic and Innovative Financing for HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Developing Country NGO Delegation to the Global Fund Board (DCNGO) will convene a webinar with civil society organizations (CSOs) on the Call to Action on a date to be announced. Please bookmark the PANCAP Current and Upcoming Events page for the date and time.

Tremendous progress has been made in the response to HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in the Caribbean. An estimated 310, 000 persons are living with HIV with Jamaica (10%), Cuba (8%), Dominican Republic (22%), Haiti (48%) and the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago (4%) accounting for 92% of the total disease burden at the end of 2016. New infections among children 0-14 years decreased by 44% from 1800 in 2000 to fewer than 1000 in 2016 and 55% reduction in AIDS-related deaths from 21,000 in 2000 to 9400 in 2016. The number of people accessing ARVs doubled in the last seven years with access among expectant mothers increased to over 90%. Much of this progress is due, in large part, to increased investments by stakeholders, including the private sector and government, greater involvement of civil society, strengthening of health and community systems, and a more coordinated approach among stakeholders to improve the health and well-being of all persons, including key and vulnerable populations across the Region.

The Caribbean has relied heavily on donor funding over the years to finance its response to the three diseases. However, dwindling resources and heavy dependence on foreign assistance negatively impact the Region’s ability to meet SDGs and national targets which will reverse gains in the response if Caribbean leaders do not continue to increase domestic investments.

More resources are needed to finance, sustain and scale up programmes for prevention, treatment, care, support and human rights as well as for gender equality across the Region towards ending the three diseases. The situation requires that additional attention be placed on efficient use of resources, including utilization as well as exploring new revenue sources. Mobilizing resources domestically is critical to this thrust. It is an imperative we cannot ignore given our shared responsibilities to improve the health outcomes and quality of life of people in the Caribbean.

We, representatives from non-governmental organisations, academia and government, call upon our leaders to undertake the following in partnership with us and in keeping with the 2016 UN High-Level Political Declaration HIV, UNAIDS Fast Track Initiative, the 2017 Latin America & Caribbean Call to Action for the Acceleration of HIV, and the Caribbean Strategic Framework on HIV/AIDS:

1. Increase the allocation of national health budgets each year over the next three years to the HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria response in order to fill the funding gaps which arise as a result of the reduction in donor funding;

2. Scale-up prevention, treatment, care and support as well as human rights and gender equality programmes for HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria;

3. Acknowledge the value-added of partnership with civil society and community systems and Implement the WHO recommendations to strengthen and sustainably support civil society’s role in the response through mechanisms such as subventions, social contracting and other forms of technical assistance and support;

4. Explore innovative financing approaches for health where HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria are prioritized;

5. Establish a regional funding mechanism that can/will attract support to mobilize, manage and disburse funds for country-level initiatives for the three diseases, including the strengthening of health and community systems and improvement of the human rights situation in countries;

6. Accelerate and/or strengthen the integration of the HIV response into primary health care to encourage better health-seeking behaviours and make services more accessible;

7. Minimize out of pocket payments (OPP) for medical expenses by accelerating, introducing and strengthening commitments to universal health coverage (UHC); introducing and/or strengthening National Health Insurance Schemes and include HIV services in the minimum package of services;

8. Honor commitments to implement activities per treaties and agreements related to the protection and promotion of human rights in partnership with civil society;

9. Engage development partners around the impact of upper middle-income country status on the availability and accessibility of donor funding as well as cost of services and commodities and advocate for the development and use of other criteria to determine eligibility for funding; and

10. Reaffirm commitments to SDG targets of increasing health financing while ending AIDS, TB and Malaria by 2030, towards meeting SDG targets and to ensure healthy lives and promoting well-being for all across the life cycle.

Workshop to develop strategy for domestic, innovative financing for HIV and Malaria in the Caribbean held in Georgetown, Guyana

Image: (L-R) Dennis Glasgow, participant, Dr Martin Odiit, UNAIDS Country Director, Guyana and Suriname and Mr Dereck Springer, Director of PANCAP

Joint press statement:

The Developing Country NGO Delegation to the Global Fund Board (DCNGO)
Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN)
Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC)
Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP)

Tuesday, January 30 2018: The Developing Country NGO Delegation to the Global Fund Board (DCNGO), Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) and the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC), collaborated with 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 to convene a joint meeting of advocates for domestic financing for HIV. The meeting is being held in Georgetown Guyana from January 29 to 31, 2018.

The purpose of the intervention is to create a strategic approach to raising awareness and advocacy for increasing domestic financing for HIV, AIDS and Malaria programmes through advocacy training and strategic planning.

At the core of the workshop is the development of a regional (Caribbean) strategy, which will be coordinated by a working group tasked with addressing key resource mobilization and domestic financing issues related to The Global Fund in Jamaica, St Lucia (OECS), Haiti, Belize, and Guyana.

In his opening remarks, Mr Jomain McKenzie, Communications Focal Point for the DCNGO emphasised that “any health burden is also a financial burden and where governments don’t always see the need, it is up to us to make the case for funding our health.” Mr McKenzie highlighted that civil society’s efforts in domestic financing send a signal to donors that we do play a role in the big picture of health funding – a role that goes beyond that of being beneficiaries.

In welcoming participants, Director of PANCAP, Mr Dereck Springer, underscored the importance of the involvement of civil society in advocating for increased financing by Governments for HIV. He emphasized that civil society has held the baton for HIV awareness from the inception and that their involvement is critical for the next phase of the Region’s response to the disease. The Director referred to the PANCAP Regional Advocacy Strategy as a model that can be strategically utilized for the intervention. He posited that the strategy propagates that civil society has the ability to mobilize unprecedented financial resources and enable communities to participate in designing health services that meet their needs.

Dr Martin Odiit, UNAIDS Country Director, Guyana and Suriname commended the organisers and participants of the intervention, stating his appreciated that the Caribbean is taking a positive step and being fully involved in the Global Fund replenishment as evidenced by the enthusiasm at the workshop. He also noted UNAIDS ongoing support to countries in developing HIV investment cases for sustainability.

The participants include representatives from Government, National AIDS Commission, advocates, and leaders of civil society organisations, namely the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC), Caribbean Forum for Liberation and Acceptance of Genders and Sexualities (CariFLAGS), Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) and the Caribbean Sex Work Coalition (CSWC).

The initiative is financially and technically supported by International Civil Society Support (ICSS) Global Fund Advocacy Network (GFAN) through the New Venture Fund of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

– ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

What is the DCNGO?

The Developing Country NGO Delegation is a voting constituency on the Global Fund Board and represents NGOs, from the Developing World, serving those affected by HIV/AIDS, TB, & Malaria. The Delegation seeks to influence decisions and policies to ensure strategic, continuous and appropriate responsiveness to the needs of those affected by the three diseases and the NGOs providing services to them.

Paperwork begins for possibly introducing HIV prevention pill to male homosexuals- SASOD

Male homosexuals in Guyana might soon be able to drink a daily pill to reduce the chances of contracting the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) by more than 90 percent if preparations go well, the country’s leading gay rights organisation said Wednesday.

Head of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Joel Simpson told a news conference that permission would first be obtained from the Ministry of Public Health and decisions would have to be made about whether the preventative pill would be generic or brand name and whether users would be required to sign an agreement to participate in the trial.

Simpson said before the possible introduction of the pill in Guyana, SASOD would be conducting a survey to determine whether Guyanese homosexuals- men who have sex with men- would prefer to use that preventative medicine or rely on other forms of HIV prevention.

He said SASOD would be working with the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency and the regional office of the Pan American Health Organisation /World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) on introducing the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) pill whose brand name is Truvada.

“We want to explore if this is a viable method of HIV prevention for vulnerable groups in Guyana so we are going to start with one population, one that is very popular to us – men who have sex with men- and we are going to be doing a feasibility about that with the intention of determining whether we should later go on to do a demonstration project to determine whether it actually works,” he said.

The SASOD co-founder said if the study shows that the pill should be introduced in Guyana, persons would be administered the drug for nine months during which time they would be tracked to determine whether it has been successful.

SASOD has already sent Truvada’s manufacturing company, GILEAD Inc; a concept note to possibly acquire a quantity of that prophylaxis drug free of cost for the demonstration that could begin in 2019.

Estimates show that to supply 100 persons Truvada for nine months could cost US$75,000.

Simpson said a demonstration project is always required before introducing certain medicines. He noted that with dwindling donor resources for the fight against HIV and AIDS, Truvada is a viable option to prevent transmission of the virus.

With regards to seeking permission from the Ministry of Public Health, he said SASOD was currently preparing “all the documents” for an ethics review application following talks with the Health Sector Development Unit and the National AIDS Programme Secretariat. “People are asking for the research, people are asking for the information to be able to say that this is a viable option that should be pursued so we don’t see any impediments to work in this area,” he said.

The right to life for people living with HIV is the same as for anyone else – UNAIDS

Erika Castellanos is a transgender woman living with HIV from Belize engaged in advocacy at the local, regional and international levels. She is currently serving as the Vice-Chair of the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) and is the Director of Programmes at GATE. Before joining GATE, Erika served as the Executive Director of the Collaborative Network of Persons Living with HIV, Belize. Since 2016, she has been a member of the Communities Delegation to the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and a member of the International Group of Trans Women and HIV. She served as a delegate from Latin America and the Caribbean to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board.

What does the right to health mean to you?

For me, the right to health is the full enjoyment of the highest possible standard of health. It means to be able to enjoy a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, which is not just the absence of disease. It is a fundamental right that all people are entitled to, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic situation, profession, education or the country they live in.

My right to health includes being able to access services without fear of discrimination — affordable and high-quality services that are client-centred and based on the needs of the individual. It means that I have access to gender-affirming care, antiretroviral therapy, diagnostic laboratory tests and mental health services, all within an environment free from discrimination and judgement.

What is preventing people living with HIV from being able to exercise their right to health?

People living with HIV are prevented from exercising our right to health owing to social, political and institutional discrimination. Key populations who are also living with HIV experience those barriers much more and with more impact.

In many parts of the world, we are criminalized and accessing health services can lead to outing ourselves. We are forced to live in an underground world by hate and stigma and fear of the unknown. Health services are designed and geared towards cisgender heterosexual people and are not welcoming to us.

What more can be done to make sure that all people living with HIV can access services?

Many things can be done to improve our access to services. Services should be designed and implemented by our communities and we need evidence-informed services that meet our needs. There needs to be decriminalization of key populations and decriminalization of HIV. Services should be client-driven and client-lead, instead of doctor-led.

In a nutshell, empowered people and communities must be able to demand and deliver services in partnership with nonjudgemental, discrimination-free health systems within a legal and policy environment that sees us as human beings irrespective of our HIV status, sexual orientation, gender identification, drug use or profession.

Do you think the situation has improved at all over the past 20–30 years?

The situation has certainly improved over the past 20–30 years, but in some countries, instead of moving forward, things are going backwards when it comes to the enjoyment of human rights by people living with HIV. This is not the time to celebrate and pat us on the back, it is the time to redouble efforts and make sure that every single person in the world can fully enjoy the right to health. As a transgender woman living with HIV for 22 years, I have seen the changes throughout the years and I am happy to say that today we live in a better world. In a world where I do not have to hide my status, in a world where being HIV-positive does not equal death. In a world where I can now plan for a future and in which I have allowed myself to love and be loved.

GNP+ is the global network for and by people living with HIV. GNP+ works to improve the quality of life of all people living with HIV by advocating for and supporting fair and equal access to treatment, care and support services for people living with HIV around the world.

GATE is an international organization working on gender identity, sex characteristics and, more broadly, on bodily diversity issues. GATE works on supporting transgender, gender diverse and intersex movements by producing and making available critical knowledge, promoting their access to organizational resources and advocating with them to make human rights a lived reality.

Read more in the UNAIDS’ report Right to Health.

Caribbean Activists Welcome Inter-American Court Opinion on LGBT Rights

Contributor: Dane Lewis, Regional Programme Manager, CariFLAGS

The Caribbean Forum for Liberation and Acceptance of Genders and Sexualities (CariFLAGS) celebrates the recent advisory opinion by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) which referred to its constant case law whereby sexual orientation and gender identity are protected categories against discrimination under the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights. It stated that any discriminatory rule, act or practice based on these characteristics of an individual are prohibited.

The release noted that the right to gender and sexual identity is tied to the concept of freedom and the capacity of human beings for self-determination and to freely choose the options and circumstances that make sense of their existence, according to each person’s choices and beliefs. It spoke boldly to the right to legal recognition of one’s gender identity and name change procedures and affirmed that “the recognition of gender identity by the state is key to guaranteeing the full enjoyment of human rights by trans people.” It also spoke to equal marriage noting that countries “must recognize and guarantee the rights that are derived from a family bond between people of the same sex.” The Court held that the way in which the Convention addresses discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation cannot be conditional upon religious or philosophical beliefs.

The court’s advisory is timely, particularly in light of the current concerted efforts of activists globally, in the Caribbean and at national levels to end stigma and discrimination that adversely impacts the enjoyment of basic human rights.

Although only binding in the jurisdictions that are parties to the Convention, the advisory’s importance and historic significance must not go unnoticed by the region. We urge our governments, all people of the Caribbean as well as our key partners in development, to continue to and scale up all efforts to ensure that our societies are constructed on the principles of social justice, equality, mutual respect, inclusion and participation.
CariFLAGS calls for leadership and cooperation at all levels to engender and promote the legislative, administrative, and judicial reforms needed to adapt our local legal systems, laws and policies towards the advancement of recognition and promotion of rights for all. CariFLAGS stands poised to play a key leadership role in this regard with activists who are at the forefront of their national movements.

CariFLAGS articulates an indigenous lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) voice and agenda for the Caribbean with governments, civil society, donors, international partners and the global LGBTI movement; works to expand leadership, infrastructure and environments at the community-level whereby Caribbean LGBTI people can enjoy safety and support, be linked to services, community, health, spirituality and empowerment, influence policy and legislation, utilize judicial and human rights institutions, and deepen political participation and alliance-building.

We work to ensure justice, social inclusion, access to the fruits of citizenship, and to build Caribbean nations and a regional movement. The CariFLAGS secretariat is based at the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) in Georgetown, Guyana.

CRN+ Chair participated in UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) Meeting

Image: CRN+ Chair, Mr Winfield Tannis-Abbot participating as a member of the Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG) to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board NGO Delegation

The CRN+ Chair, Mr Winfield Tannis-Abbot, participated as a member of the Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG) to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board NGO Delegation and present at the Thematic Segment of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting held on 14 December 2017. The Chair also participated in the UNAIDS PCB side events from 11-14 December 2017 and utilised the opportunity to network on behalf of CRN+.

The UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board agreed to:

Request UNAIDS’ continued support to member states, through collaboration with community-based organizations and civil society, for monitoring and reporting, including through the Global AIDS Monitoring system, on progress made toward the Fast-Track targets, using where feasible disaggregated data, as a means of leaving no one behind;

Requests UNAIDS and member states, in partnership with civil society organizations and all other relevant stakeholders to:
• Develop and apply country-level, community-participatory evidence gathering methodologies to identify barriers and measure the level and quality of access to services for all at-risk populations so as to leave no one behind;
• Develop methods for assessing community engagement in countries, in line with the core principles of the Joint Programme and the UNAIDS Strategy 2016-2021;
• Request the UNAIDS to facilitate partnerships between member states and community-based organizations to help ensure effective action to meet HIV prevention, early diagnosis and treatment needs so as to leave no one behind.