Media Releases – Page 53

PANCAP Director engages in high-level advocacy

Director of PANCAP, Mr Dereck Springer and UNAIDS Advisor Dr Edward Greene held a special engagement with the Honourable Duane Sands, Minister of Health, The Bahamas. The Minister and Senior officials of the Ministry of Health were briefed on the outcomes of the July 2017 UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Every Caribbean Woman, Every Caribbean Child Initiative and PANCAP’s regional priorities including the ‘Justice for All’ initiative and support to countries for operationalising their programmes to meet the UNAIDS 90-90-90 Targets.

For more updates on high-level advocacy by PANCAP, visit the Media Centre here.

Decisions from Third Meeting of the PANCAP Advisory Group on Resource Mobilisation

The Third Meeting of the PANCAP Advisory Group on Resource Mobilisation was held from 11 – 12 July 2017 at the CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown Guyana. In attendance were Mr Dereck Springer, Director of PANCAP, Dr Edward Greene, Advisor, UNAIDS, Mr Desmond John, Director, Resource Mobilisation and Technical Assistance (RMTA), CARICOM Secretariat, Ms Carol Ayoung, Representative, Pan Caribbean Business Coalition (PCBC), Ms Lisa Tarantino, Southern & Eastern Caribbean Regional Programme Manager, Health Finance & Governance Project and Dr Eduard Beck, Senior Advisor Strategic Information and Policy, UNAIDS.

The following are the key decisions and next steps identified by the working group:

1. The group decided that there should be a revision of the 2014 Resource Mobilisation Strategy to align with current financial realities.

2. Members agreed to develop an operating plan for the resource mobilisation strategy.

3. The group also agreed to pursue activities proposed by the Twenty-Fifth Executive Board that are still relevant.

4. A decision was made to commence actively engaging with the private sector to leverage both financial and technical support for HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean.

5. The group also agreed to seek a meeting with private sector leaders at the Regional Private Sector Meeting.

6. The meeting concluded with a consensus on creating a framework for deeper collaboration on common interests and understanding with the private sector.

Stay updated on this and other PANCAP events and meetings on the ‘Events’ page. Click here to view now.

Top 5 reasons to make PANCAP.org your homepage

The redesigned PANCAP website was officially launched on Friday, July 7, 2017, at the CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown Guyana. The website is meant to significantly enhance knowledge sharing among PANCAP members, development partners and other stakeholders. Here are the top 5 reasons to make the website your first choice for information and data on HIV and AIDS in the region:

1. The Data and Reports page offers concise information on HIV statistics from countries within the region garnered from trusted sources including UNAIDS and CARPHA. Click here.

2. The Document Library offers users the ability to upload their original case studies, strategies, best practices and other policy documents for dissemination to the entire Partnership. Only PANCAP members and partners will be allowed to upload documents by signing in with their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google accounts. Click here to upload your best practice or case study now.

3. PANCAP Voices is a series of specially created podcasts which feature audio clips and quotes from a diverse selection of PANCAP members on topics related to ‘Treat All’ and other HIV discussions. The concise audio clips offer just the right amount of information and inspired thinking to aid NAP Managers, clinicians and civil society leaders with their work implementation. Click here to listen now.

4. The webinars page highlights current and upcoming webinars by the PANCAP Coordinating Unit. If you missed a webinar simply click on the topic to access the powerpoint presentation and a video of the entire webinar. Click here to view PANCAP webinars now.

5. The PANCAP ‘Treat All’ Knowledge Suite is a significant feature of the redesigned website launched on Friday, July 21. The Knowledge Suite consists of three (3) products designed to guide National AIDS Programme Managers, clinicians and other technical experts with the implementation of an effective ‘Treat All’ programme. It consists of 1) a Standard Roadmap for the Implementation of ‘Treat All’, which offers guidance on the fundamental steps for effective incorporation of ‘Treat All’ into a country’s HIV and AIDS response. 2) The second product is the Barbados ‘Treat All’ Case Study, another tool for the implementation of ‘Treat All’. This provides the Partnership with a clear and concise illustration of the process utilised by the Government of Barbados, through the Ministry of Health, in the implementation of the successful Barbados ‘Treat All’ programme.

It was vital for the PANCAP Coordinating Unit to document the Barbados experience and share it with the Partnership since it is a best practice within the Region.

3) The third and final product is an animated video illustration, which highlights the effective actions required for the implementation of ‘Treat All’ and offers background information on the process. Click here for the Knowledge Suite.

PANCAP members are urged to make the redesigned website their homepage as new updates will be posted daily.

Caribbean Regional Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (CRN+) Convened Board Meeting

The Caribbean Regional Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (CRN+), the regional umbrella organisation that advocates for, and on behalf of Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV), convened a board meeting on 3-4 July 2017 in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The meeting agreed on the membership of an Interim Board, which will serve from July 4, 2017, to July 3, 2018.

Mr Winfield Tannis-Abbott was elected the new Chair, Ms Ethel Pengel, Vice Chair, Mr Devon Gabourel, Secretary, Mr Purnell Christian-Thomas, Treasurer, Mr William Moultrie 111, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, Dr Felix Reyes, Assistant Treasurer and Ms Eloise Patricia Phillips, Board Member.

The Board also revised the Terms of Reference for the Advisory Group, reviewed and revised the Constitution, agreed on the term of the Board, reviewed the Strategic Plan and aligned its strategic objectives and activities to the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS (CRSF), the UNAIDS Fast Track Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. It also noted the progress on implementation of some key activities and agreed on the process for the development of a Communication Plan, the frequency of meetings and reporting schedules.

The Meeting was also attended by Mr Jason Shepherd, Senior Programme Officer, Ms Nicola Taylor Advisor on Governance, Mr Dereck Springer, Director of PANCAP, Dr Carolyn Gomes, Executive Director, Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC), Dr Shellon Bovell, Project Coordinator, Office of the Principal Recipient for PANCAP Global Fund Grant, CARICOM Secretariat, Ms Roanna Morton-Williams Bynoe, Coordinator – Monitoring and Evaluation, National AIDS Programme, Ministry of Health, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Further, the Board was updated on the financial support being provided to CRN+ by PANCAP, CVC, and the Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund-Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+).

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What is CRN+?

The Caribbean Regional Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (CRN+) is the regional umbrella organisation that advocates for, and on behalf of Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) and is the only organisation of its kind in the region. It is comprised of 27 national affiliates representing the Dutch, English, French and Spanish countries in the Caribbean. It is also an affiliate of The Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+) and a member of the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS – ICW.

CRN+ was established in 1996 by people living with HIV (PLHIV) who were concerned about the issues facing them in the Caribbean and determined to be involved in making decisions about their future. Technical and financial support was provided by GNP+, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC), now known as the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

Remarks Mr Mark Oviatt, Principal Officer, U. S. Agency for International Development/Eastern and Southern Caribbean Mission

Ambassador Soeknandan, Deputy Secretary-General, CARICOM Secretariat; Mr Dereck Springer, Director of PANCAP; Dr Shanti Singh, Knowledge Coordinator, Knowledge for Health project; members of the media, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Unites States Agency for International Development/Eastern and Southern Caribbean Mission, I welcome the opportunity to join you in celebrating the formal launch of the website, which is aimed at providing current information on the regional and global HIV response.

I was personally encouraged when I reviewed several documents on the genesis of the PANCAP Knowledge for Health project, which is being implemented by the John Hopkins University with funding through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Knowledge for Health or K4H (as it is commonly called) envisions a knowledge sharing revolution, in which health program managers and service providers at all levels around the world collaborate with and learn from each other, adapt and use global health knowledge to build stronger health systems and enable people to live healthier lives.

This launch today is therefore testimony of that vision, since the new website will offer improved functionality, interactive features and aims to intensify the level of knowledge sharing, capacity building and networking among the PANCAP partners, including civil society organizations, National AIDS Programme Managers, clinicians, technical experts in HIV, key populations (and youth within key populations), faith leaders, parliamentarians, and regional and development partners.

In an environment of reduced international funding for HIV, and the global vision of an AIDS-Free Generation, it is critical for PANCAP to continue to provide strong coordination and foster collaboration to maintain the gains partners have achieved around common priorities and goals.

It is, therefore, my sincere wish that PANCAP will continue to serve as a knowledge hub to support its members to improve the regional and national HIV response.

Ambassador, Mister Chairperson, Director of PANCAP and staff, I want to thank and to compliment all of you for this initiative, which I see as a legacy for USAID. Thank you for the opportunity to share this milestone with you today, I look forward to being involved in your planned activities and achievements.

Thank you.

Redesigned PANCAP website launched to expand knowledge sharing on HIV in the Caribbean

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REDESIGNED PANCAP WEBSITE LAUNCHED TO EXPAND KNOWLEDGE-SHARING ON HIV IN THE CARIBBEAN

– Director of PANCAP promises ‘one stop shop’ for knowledge-sharing and capacity building information on HIV in the Caribbean

Friday, July 7, 2017 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) officially launched a redesigned website on Friday, July 7 at the CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana.

The new site offers improved functionality, interactive features and aims to intensify the level of knowledge sharing, capacity building and networking among the PANCAP partners including civil society organisations, National AIDS Programme Managers, clinicians, technical experts in HIV, key populations (and youth within key populations), faith leaders, parliamentarians, regional and development partners.

‘The redesigned website will function as a ‘one stop shop’ for users seeking up-to-date information on the regional and global HIV response,’ explained the Director of PANCAP, Dereck Springer.

‘PANCAP requires a more dynamic, knowledge-driven website that offers educational tools to equip users with new knowledge on how to deal with the disease within the changing global and regional HIV landscape’ added the Director. He further stated, ‘our intention was to improve the overall functionality so that users can easily navigate the site and receive a wealth of data and information on topics in Dutch, English, French and Spanish’.

The new site features a highly interactive home page that offers users all the key PANCAP digital tools including instructional toolkits, most recent updates, newly posted documents and a social feed, which highlights posts from PANCAP’s social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter.

A document library, PANCAP Voices Podcast, Video and Image Galleries, infographics, data and fact sheets and original PANCAP webinars are also featured on the new website.

The Document Library has added functionality as PANCAP members and partners will be provided with access to upload their original case studies, best practices, policy and strategy documents and other publications for dissemination to the entire partnership. The PANCAP Director emphasised that this function is meant to improve capacity building and knowledge management.

The new initiative is a product of the PANCAP Knowledge for Health Project, which is a collaboration between PANCAP and the Johns Hopkins University Knowledge for Health Project, Baltimore with funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

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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 the capacity of partners.

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 and follow PANCAP on social media

Feature Address Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan, Deputy Secretary-General – Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

Honourable Minister of Education, Ms Nicolette Henry, Director, Health and HIV/AIDS Office, USAID/Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Ms Julia Henn, Director of PANCAP, Mr Dereck Springer, officials of CARICOM, development, government and civil society partners, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen.

I share the vision of the Director of PANCAP that the new redesigned PANCAP website should serve as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for information and data on HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean. Anyone seeking current epidemiological data and information on the response to HIV and AIDS in our Region should find the new PANCAP website a very useful resource tool.

I am pleased to say, that the PANCAP – K4Health Team has delivered beyond expectations on a website that strategically caters to the variety of audiences seeking information on HIV and AIDS in our Region. As you know, the PANCAP Coordinating Unit, the engine of PANCAP, has developed into a dynamic unit within the CARICOM Secretariat.

Having reviewed the new website, I am pleased to say that it has the most up to date functionality. It is available in four (4) languages, enabling PANCAP to further serve the English, French, Dutch and Spanish speaking the Caribbean.

This is the kind of dynamic platform that enables PANCAP to disseminate strategic information to meet the expressed needs of our partners. The CARICOM Secretariat has been a strong advocate for increasing literacy of the people of the region to access Information Communication Technology with the ultimate outcome of innovative, ICT-enabled economies and societies across the Caribbean region. The CARICOM Secretariat’s efforts are geared toward connecting the Secretariat to the people whom it serves.

My vision for the new PANCAP online platform is the same. The PANCAP website will serve as the all-important repository for People Living with HIV and AIDS, clinicians, technical experts in HIV and AIDS, Civil Society Organizations, key populations, youth, parliamentarians, faith leaders, private sector and all stakeholders to fill the information gap and update partners on new developments in the HIV and AIDS arena.
Networking, capacity building and knowledge sharing are key strategies for ending AIDS by 2030. The newly designed website can now help PANCAP to successfully implement these strategies among our members, partners and stakeholders.

I encourage everyone to make full use of this new digital tool and to utilise the information and resources to inform programming for eliminating HIV transmission and sustaining people living with the disease.

I wish to thank PEPFAR and USAID for funding the PANCAP Knowledge for Health Project including this website and for their ongoing support to the Caribbean. I also wish to thank Johns Hopkins University for providing the technical support for the implementation of the project.
Special thanks to Dr Shanti Singh-Anthony, Knowledge Management Coordinator, Mr Timothy Austin, Communications Specialist and Ms Mwikali Kioko, Field Director, Knowledge for Health Programme.

I end by congratulating the Director of PANCAP and the staff of the PANCAP Coordinating Unit for taking definitive action to make the PANCAP website the ‘go to website’ for information on the Caribbean’s response to HIV and AIDS.

I now officially launch the new PANCAP website.

Speech by Director of PANCAP – Launch of Redesigned PANCAP Website

Honourable Nicolette Henry, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, and Chair of the PANCAP Regional Coordinating Mechanism, Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan, Deputy Secretary-General, CARICOM, Mr. Mark Oviatt, Principal Officer, USAID, Guyana and Suriname, Ms Sara Mazursky, Deputy Director, Knowledge for Health Project John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Centre for Communication Programmes, Dr Shanti Singh-Anthony, Knowledge Coordinator, PANCAP K4H Project, colleagues of the CARICOM Secretariat, special invitees, viewers, members of the Partnership, members of the media, I extend a warm welcome to you all.

I wish to thank the Government and People of the United States of America and their agencies PEPFAR and USAID for providing the resources for the redesign of our PANCAP website. Thanks is also extended to their Implementing partner John Hopkins University for the ongoing technical assistance to the PANCAP Knowledge for Health Project, of which the redesigned website is a regional public good.

This very generous support from the Government and People of the United States has brought PANCAP’s website into the Twenty First Century and, will enable this medium to function as a ‘one stop shop’ for users seeking up to date information on the regional and global HIV response.

We could not have taken this quantum leap without the technical expertise of the Consultant, Ms Romona Khan who worked diligently with Mr Timothy Austin, Communications Specialist and Dr Shanti Singh-Anthony, Knowledge Coordinator to improve the functionality and interactive features that will enable us to intensify the level of knowledge sharing, capacity building and networking among the PANCAP partners including civil society organisations, National AIDS Programme Managers, clinicians, technical experts in HIV, key populations (and youth within key populations), faith leaders, parliamentarians and regional and development partners.

I wish to thank our partners for providing us with feedback on your information needs. We have listened and acknowledged that you require a more dynamic, knowledge-driven website that offers educational tools to equip users with new knowledge on how to deal with the disease within the changing global and regional HIV landscape. We have also improved the overall functionality so that users can easily navigate the site and receive a wealth of data and information on topics in Dutch, English, French and Spanish.

The new site will feature a highly interactive home page that offers users all the key PANCAP digital tools including instructional toolkits, most recent updates, newly posted documents and a social feed, which highlights posts from PANCAP’s social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. A document library, PANCAP Voices Podcast, Video and Image Galleries, infographics, data and fact sheets and original PANCAP webinars will also be featured on the new website.

We trust that our efforts will also improve capacity building and knowledge management within the Partnership. Please help us to help you by generating and sharing content.

Thank you.

Honourable Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis to Attend PANCAP Regional Parliamentarians Forum

PANCAP Regional Parliamentarians Forum Concludes with Call for Non-Partisan Approach to Issues Related to Stigma, Discrimination and HIV Transmission

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) Regional Parliamentarians Forum, 30 – 31 May, Kingston, Jamaica, concluded with recommendations from parliamentarians on a non-partisan approach to issues related to stigma, discrimination and HIV transmission.
Approximately 60 regional parliamentarians engaged in intense discussions from May 30 -31 and the following recommendations were proposed:

Parliamentarians agreed that issues involving the role of stigma and discrimination in perpetuating HIV transmission should be non-partisan and every effort must be made to protect vulnerable populations susceptible to HIV transmission including youths and LGBT.
Parliamentarians advocated for more sensitization of the public about the role that stigma and discrimination plays in the transmission of HIV. Public education tools recommended included using the school curriculum to propagate the anti-discrimination message, community education, leveraging the influence of faith-based leaders, collaborating with parent teacher associations and other groups related to education.
A recommendation was made for intensified oversight by parliamentarians to ensure that health care providers and law enforcement are not discriminating against HIV positive persons and key populations.
Parliamentarians advocated for a broad based stakeholder engagement to discuss issues affecting key populations with emphasis on stigma, discrimination and HIV transmission.
Parliamentarians proposed the creation of a mechanism through which parliamentarians can meet to collaborate and share best practices to further the agenda to end AIDS by 2030. In particular, the establishment of a regional coordinating committee for parliamentarians was recommended. This body
would serve to further the discussions and issues raised at the Regional Parliamentarians Forum with the overarching aim of formulating policies and strategies to protect vulnerable groups that can be advocated at the
policymaking level.
Further, parliamentarians recommended a workshop for engagement with regional parliamentarians, NGOs, faith based organizations on the 90-90-90 Targets and strategies to accomplish the end of AIDS by 2030.
Youth also formed a large part of the discussion. It was recommended that countries invest in public awareness campaigns targeted at the youth population on condom use and HIV transmission.

In closing remarks, Deputy Secretary-General, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan, challenged all parliamentarians in attendance to commence the implementation of the CARICOM Model Anti- Discrimination Bill. Ambassador Soeknandan stated that the model was approved in
2012, yet no efforts were made by member countries to adopt the recommendations proposed by the model.

The Deputy Secretary-General tasked parliamentarians with taking immediate steps to adopt the recommendations of the model with the overarching aim of full implementation by July 2018.

Following unanimous agreement, Ambassador Soeknandan requested that parliamentarians provide consistent updates on the progress of implementing the Model Anti-Discrimination Bill and emphasized that the overall benefit would be the protection of vulnerable populations, more key populations accessing health services and testing for HIV, reduction in HIV transmission and deaths from AIDS.

The PANCAP Regional Parliamentarians Forum was a platform for parliamentarians from across the Region to discuss their involvement in ending HIV and AIDS.Government ministers and members of the opposition participated.

The Forum, which is funded by the Global Fund and facilitated by the PANCAP Coordinating Unit and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), formed part of a wider intervention programme created by PANCAP within its Justice For All (JFA) Roadmap.
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