EU entrusts PANCAP with Euros 530,000 to advance HIV/AIDS fight

May 31, 2019 News

To aid the fight against HIV/AIDS, the European Union [EU] invested approximately €530,000 to the Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS [PANCAP] intended to cover the period October 2017 to August 2019.

Participants of the recent sensitization forum

This was the disclosure vocalized at a recent Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS [PANCAP] meeting in Barbados.
At that forum EU’s Ambassador to Barbados, Daniela Tramacere, said, “We believe that our investment can also have a multiplier effect. Through sessions such as this, the message can be amplified to communities across the nation and the region.”
The EU Representative shared, too, that through increased engagement and coordination, faith-based collaboration with health officials and political leaders can play a pivotal role in reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS.
“Indeed, HIV/AIDS is not an individual issue but one that touches every part of society and our economy. This is our collective problem, and we need to come together to develop a collective solution,” stated Ambassador Tramacere who went on to note that stigma and discrimination are still hampering efforts to reduce new HIV infections, increase the number of persons accessing anti-retroviral treatment and ensure that those who have contracted HIV can live full and productive lives.
At the meeting too, Director of PANCAP, Mr. Dereck Springer, provided an overview of PANCAP’s engagements with parliamentarians under its Justice for All programmes that seeks to affirm human rights and reduce stigma and discrimination.
The Director noted that both the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the CARIFORUM 10th European Development Fund are contributing to PANCAP’s work with parliamentarians geared towards creating a more enabling environment for people living with HIV and key population groups.
He reminded the meeting of the crucial role that parliamentarians must play in response to HIV and acknowledged that parliamentarians come from families and society and regularly engage with their constituencies thus enabling them to understand the challenges faced by people living with and affected by HIV.
He also highlighted the legislative, representational and oversight roles of parliamentarians.
Dr. Frank Anthony, PANCAP Consultant, who provided a historical perspective of HIV and the advances being made in relation to the science, also presented on the key actions required by parliamentarians in relation to their legislative, representational and oversight roles.
He also facilitated a discussion on key policy and legislative issues that require changes and which are within the control of parliamentarians.
During the plenary discussion led by Dr. Anthony, parliamentarians agreed to establish a Joint Parliamentary Committee to identify priorities for action. The consultation was also attended by representatives of faith-based organisations, civil society organisations, and UN agencies representatives.
The workshop was conducted with funding from the CARIFORUM 10th European Development Fund [EDF] Programme of Support for Wider Caribbean Cooperation in collaboration with the Ministry of Peoples Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Barbados and the Barbados National HIV/AIDS Commission to convene a consultation with parliamentarians in Barbados.
Dr. Jacqueline Wiltshire, Deputy Permanent Secretary [ag], Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs chaired the meeting.