‘Positive living’ takes centre stage at PLHIV conference

Sep 18, 2013 News

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Aimed at highlighting ways that Persons Living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) could better take ownership of their own lives, the Ministry of Health through the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) yesterday commenced a two-day national PLHIV conference.
Under the theme ‘Motivation towards positive living; supporting sustainability’ the conference has attracted participation from at least 50 leaders drawn from peer support groups within Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and 10.

Yesterday the gathering was able to deliberate on the quality of social support services provided through the national HIV care and treatment programme, to identify the gaps, and to make recommendations on how to improve the programme.  Additionally, an important focus is to determine how PLHIV could aid moves to ensure that there is sustainability of the HIV care, treatment and support programmes.
Speaking at the opening of the conference which was held at the Regency Suites Hotel, NAPS Programme Manager, Dr Shanti Singh, underscored that the hosting of the conference was premised on the need to focus on positive living as well as the sustainability of the social support services required by PLHIV.
According to Dr Singh, moves towards advocacy for PLHIV to take ownership for their own health is in fact an essential part of the recently launched HIVision 2020 initiative – the health sector’s eight-year strategic plan for fighting HIV.
“One of the guiding principles of the HIVision 2020 is the greater involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS, meaning not only more central involvement in decision-making at policy and other higher levels, but importantly, more ownership of their health, and therefore, health outcomes.”
Dr Singh emphasized that the National HIV programme has achieved a number of milestones and Guyana is now one of 14 countries to have achieved universal access to care and treatment.
This, she outlined, was achieved through the multi-sectoral collaboration and the commitment of all stakeholders, even as she encouraged all participants “to work together in ensuring that Guyana continues to provide high quality treatment to all persons living with HIV.”
The forum also saw the attendance of Ms. Chrystol Albert-Hope, Programme Manager of G-Plus, who in brief remarks acknowledged the tremendous strides made by the National HIV programme over the years.  She alluded to the fact that special achievements were the commencement of free anti-retroviral treatment in 2002, the near elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the reduction of stigma and discrimination associated with HIV.
And according to recently appointed Head of PANCAP, Dereck Springer, Guyana’s HIV fight has a lot to celebrate.
“Twenty years ago HIV was seen to be related to dying. Today we are speaking about positive living…Guyana has also gone beyond other Caribbean countries in providing community, home and palliative treatment,” Springer noted.  As such, he urged the participants to look at shared responsibility and self-management as moves are made to focus on country ownership in light of the decreasing donor funding for HIV.
Springer said that the increasing survival of PLHIV has brought with it the additional challenges of aging and the onset of other chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
In this regard, he mentioned the crucial role of PANCAP and further pledged its support in working closer with Guyana during his period of leadership.
Country Director of UNAIDS, Dr. Roberto Campos, did not fail to amplify that body’s strategy of “zero new infections, zero new HIV-related deaths, and zero stigma and discrimination.”  He noted that the epidemic has over the years changed from one of despair to hope, where HIV is no longer a death sentence.  He emphasized too the need for Government and civil society to work together in combating HIV and the need to mobilize resources locally.  He also made reference to the central role that PLHIV can play in controlling the epidemic, by adhering to treatment ,thereby reducing the chance of transmission to a mere four per cent.
Also present at the opening of the two-day forum was Parliamentary Representative of the Health Ministry, Joseph Hamilton, who observed that everyone has a role to play in controlling HIV.
“It is everyone’s business,” Hamilton said, as he disclosed that an essential part of the draft 2013 – 2020 health strategy focuses on the need for greater efficiency in the health system and the need for greater value for money in light of decreased donor funding.  He emphasized that political will exists both at the level of the government and the Health Ministry in addressing HIV in Guyana.
Yesterday saw presentations on Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence as well as Parenting.  There was also a panel discussion on Positive Living. Topics to be delivered today will focus on Sustainability of HIV Care and Treatment Services, and the Support Services available for PLHIV through the Ministry of Housing, Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency, Institute of Private Enterprise Development, Food for the Poor, and NIS.
A major expected output of the conference is the development of a road map on how to sustain the support services provided at the government HIV care and treatment sites and by Non-Governmental Organisations.

 

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