BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 29th 2017 – The Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) has been highlighting key events since its establishment in 2001 with its establishment by the Declaration of the Caribbean Partnership Commitment.
As the PANCAP Regional Parliamentarians Forum gets underway in Jamaica, one of the participants is former St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.
Dr. Douglas served as CARICOM’s lead spokesman on Health issues and chair of PANCAP from 2001 to mid –February 2015 and is widely credited with soliciting the involvement of former United States President, the Hon. Bill Clinton.
PANCAP key events include:
2002: CARICOM/PANCAP—Ministers of Health - first region to negotiate 90% reduction in price of drugs with six pharmaceutical companies from US$12,500 to US$1,200.
2004: PANCAP is designated an International Best Practice by UNAIDS
2006: PANCAP coordinates the region’s response to the UN mandate for ‘universal access’
2009: A regional stigma unit is established
2010: The region sets the elimination of mother-to child transmission as a goal
2013: Justice for All is launched
PANCAP’s Key Achievements include the sharpest regional reduction in HIV incidence by 48.1% ; declining AIDS-related deaths by 49%; antiretroviral coverage increased to 44% from less than 5% of the eligible population in 2001; virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV - In April 2015, Cuba became the first country in the World and 10 other countries in the region are poised to achieve elimination by July 2016.
PANCAP special bulletin listed its Key Goals for the Future under its Justice for All roadmap in the Caribbean. They include up to the UN HLM Political Declaration and complementary to the UNAIDS fast tract and 90-90-90 goals; strengthen country ownership and multi-sectoral approaches; promote good governance by strengthening accountability and transparency mechanisms; expand access to high-quality, evidence-based and appropriately targeted packages of prevention services (combination prevention); expand access to quality treatment, care and support; improve linkage, adherence and retention in treatment, care and support; integrate HIV into national health systems and wider social and economic development efforts and plan policy and evaluation for sustainable, high-impact national responses.
The Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS and the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF) on HIV and AIDS is the core instrument for guiding the technical direction of PANCAP. The framework defines the links and interface between PANCAP Partners and represents a consensus to strategically align efforts in the fight against HIV through joint decision-making in setting programmatic priorities, and in harmonising partner contributions.
The Strategic Priority Areas (SPAs) of the CRSF 2014-2018 build on previous iterations of the Framework to move the regional response closer to realising the vision of an AIDS-free Caribbean. The SPAs are interlinked and overlapping, together constituting a holistic and comprehensive approach to addressing complex social and structural challenges. Progress is interdependent; results are required in all areas if the elimination of AIDS is to be achieved.
The six strategic priority areas are (1) - An enabling environment (2) Shared responsibility (3) Prevention of HIV transmission (4) Care, treatment and support (5) Integration and (6) Sustainability.
The goal of the CRSF 2014-2018 is to halt the spread and reduce the impact of HIV in the Caribbean, while promoting sustainable health and development.
PANCAP’s Vision is for an AIDS-free Caribbean by 2030. PANCAP’s Objectives are to facilitate comprehensive, country-driven processes with involvement of all relevant stakeholders; provide regional support for the acceleration and achievement of universal access to HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support services; garner the necessary political commitment to achieve a sustained and effective pan-Caribbean response to HIV and AIDS; reduce the estimated number of new HIV infections; encourage the meaningful involvement of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS and other key affected populations in the design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the national response to HIV and AIDS; reduce stigma, discrimination and exclusion of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS and to protect their human rights and dignity; and increase access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.
The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) is an organisational model in functional cooperation designed to harness the resources of governmental and non-governmental organisations and donors in order to achieve the most effective response to end the AIDS epidemic.
CARICOM is the host organisation for PANCAP and provides the PANCAP Coordinating Unit (PCU) with administrative and fiduciary support services and facilities. This institutional arrangement allows CARICOM to enter into contracts; acquire and dispose of property and assets; if necessary, initiate legal proceedings for the benefit of PANCAP; provides an accountability framework to ensure due diligence; and safeguards the management of PANCAP resources and activities. The PCU functions as a project unit within the Human and Social Directorate of the CARICOM Secretariat and a standing report of the activities of PANCAP is made to the Heads of Government through the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD).
PANCAP is one of the few cross-border entities that comprises countries, as well as donors, regional agencies and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs); all Partners have equal status as constituents and decision makers. A critical element for PANCAP is to foster country-regional synergy within the Partnership.
Therefore, the National AIDS Programmes (NAP) of member states are primary constituents of the PANCAP Partnership. While the NAPs are focal points in this link, several developing partners have supported and continue to play a critical role in sustaining the Partnership. Chief among them are The Global Fund, PEPFAR/USAID, UNAIDS, KfW and other UN partners.
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