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PANCAP hosts WHO team to discuss future opportunities for greater collaboration
Friday, 14 June 2024, (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) had the honour of hosting Dr. Meg Doherty, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director for Global HIV, Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Dr. Doherty’s visit to Guyana, part of her Caribbean tour from June 12-14, 2024, was aimed at strengthening collaborations in the region’s health sector.
During the meeting, Dr. Doherty expressed her enthusiasm for understanding PANCAP’s work more deeply and exploring avenues for future collaborations. She highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in addressing public health challenges and emphasized the WHO’s commitment to supporting the region through collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
The Director of PANCAP, Dr. Wendy Telgt Emanuelson, provided an overview of PANCAP and its initiatives, including testimonials from partners who have worked with PANCAP. This was followed by Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony’s presentation on strategies used to strengthen the region’s response to managing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The meeting focused on identifying opportunities to integrate Viral Hepatitis and STIs into the regional HIV agenda, aiming to formulate strategies to eliminate these diseases as public health threats, in alignment with global health goals.
The discussions covered various methods to seamlessly integrate Viral Hepatitis and STIs management into existing HIV programs and the development of comprehensive health strategies that address multiple diseases simultaneously for more effective public health outcomes.
The visit of Dr. Meg Doherty to PANCAP was highly productive and underscored the value of regional and international collaboration in public health. The discussions laid a strong foundation for future partnerships aimed at integrating Viral Hepatitis and STIs into the regional HIV agenda. This collaborative effort is expected to significantly contribute to the elimination of these diseases as public health threats in the Caribbean. The discussions were also very timely as PANCAP prepares for the development of its new Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF), which will include strategies proven to be successful in reaching the 95-95-95 targets set for 2030.
The WHO delegation, led by Dr. Meg Doherty, included Monica Alonso, Unit Chief of the HIV/STI & VH Unit at PAHO Washington DC; Carlos Cisneros, Technical Officer for Strategic Initiatives, Partnerships, and Country Support at WHO; and Sandra Jones, Advisor for HIV/STI, VH, and TB at the PAHO/WHO Caribbean Office.
Accompanying Dr. Wendy Telgt Emanuelson were Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony, Coordinator of Knowledge Management (PCU); Dr. Shellon Bovell, Project Manager for the Office of the Principal Recipient, Global Fund – CARICOM Secretariat; and Mr. Collin Kirton, Senior Accountant (PCU).
WHAT IS PANCAP?
PANCAP is a Caribbean regional partnership of governments, regional civil society organisations, regional institutions and organisations, bilateral and multilateral agencies and contributing donor partners established on 14 February 2001. PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, and coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilise resources and build the capacity of partners.
What are the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026 targets and commitments?
If targets and commitments in the strategy are achieved:
- The number of people who newly acquire HIV will decrease from 1.7 million in 2019 to less than 370 000 by 2025
- The number of people dying from AIDS-related illnesses will decrease from 690 000 in 2019 to less than 250 000 in 2025.
- The goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children will see the number of new HIV infections drop from 150,000 in 2019 to less than 22,000 in 2025.
What are the 95-95-95 Targets for ending AIDS?
- 95% of People Living with HIV know their HIV status;
- 95% of people who know their status on treatment; and
- 95% of people on treatment with suppressed viral loads.
HELPFUL LINKS:
Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, End Inequalities, End AIDS
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/global-aids-strategy-2021-2026-end-inequalities-end-aids/
Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS (CRSF) 2019-2025
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/caribbean-regional-strategic-framework-2019-2025/