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Press Release

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago hosted Parliamentarians Sensitization ForumParticipants focused on recommendations for the establishment of a National Parliamentarians Action Group

February 20, 2019

Friday 20 February 2019 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago’s National AIDS Coordinating Committee (NACC),  with funding  from the CARIFORUM 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Programme of Support for Wider Caribbean Cooperation, hosted a Parliamentarians Sensitization Forum at the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain on Monday 18 February 2019.

The Forum formed part of a series of engagements with parliamentarians, which commenced in 2013 under the PANCAP Justice for All (JFA) programme. The objectives of the Forum were aligned with the JFA Programme, PANCAP’s regional response to the UN High-Level Political Declaration (June 2011) designed to reduce AIDS-related stigma and discrimination. The Forum outlined the challenges to the Trinidad and Tobago HIV and AIDS response, including barriers toward achieving the UNAIDS 90-90-90 Targets[1], eliminating stigma and discrimination and contributing to the end of AIDS.

Present were Hon. Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Hon. Glenda Jennings-Smith,  Minister of National Security, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Hon. Frank Anthony, MP, Member of the Opposition, Guyana and Dr Edward Greene, PANCAP Advisor & Former UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for AIDS in the Caribbean.

Participants were involved in defining the legislative, representational and oversight roles of parliamentarians for addressing the challenges of ending AIDS. They discussed actions with specific timelines and made recommendations for the establishment of a National Parliamentarians Action Group to function as a coordinating mechanism to facilitate communications with and among National Parliamentary Committees. Participants also identified ways to collaborate with other stakeholders in the HIV response including faith leaders, civil society, youth and Key Populations.

[1] 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 and

By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

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/