~~Adz:Right~~CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (October 25, 2006) -- Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Hensley Daniel, called various groups in Nevis to pool together to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS as the need for partnerships was critical in the fight against the disease.
Mr Daniel's comment came on Tuesday October 24, 2006, during a one-day Mobilisation Workshop hosted by The Nevis HIV/AIDS Coordinating Unit of the Ministry of Health at the Red Cross Conference Room. The workshop was facilitated by Ms. Mavis Huggins under the theme "Building Effective Partnerships"
"The need for partnership is becoming even more critical because in Nevis as well as the other Caribbean countries we have these strong cultural norms which drive the epidemic and these strong cultural norms lead to early sexual initiation, early sexual debut, multiple sexual partners and massive stigma and discrimination.
These cultural norms which promote and sustain early sexual debut, tell us that we have a real challenge on our hands to address HIV AIDS.
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| The head table (L-R) Mr Ron Daniel, Ms. Mavis Huggins, Ms. Andrea Nisbett, the Hon. Hensley Daniel and Mrs. Joslyn Liburd |
"So if we got together in Nevis and we put together a group of Non Governmental Organisations (NGO) and Community Based Organisations (CBO) and Faith Based Organisations (FBO), we are likely to be able to marshal and mobilise some resources for HIV AIDS.
Of course these partnerships in HIV AIDS will help us in Nevis to fight AIDS with a new mindset which may be useful if we take a queue from the justice system where it says "You are innocent until proven guilty". Maybe we need to take an approach that everybody is positive until proven negative," the Health Minister said.
Mr Daniel noted that the importance of the workshop should not be taken lightly, particularly when one considered the huge financial cost of HIV/AIDS to the society, its impact on the family, ~~Adz:Right~~discrimination and stigmatisation, loss of the human resource, medication and hospitalisation.
Mr Daniel remained hopeful that a number of partnerships would be forged at the participants NGO level at the end of the workshop and reminded the participants that there were a number of financial resources available at the regional and international levels for CBOs, FBOs and NGOs to benefit from HIV/AIDS.
"So I want to hear that we have established even a memorandum of understanding or a partnership whereby we could mobilise human and financial resources and I know that in our midst we have to take a shift and look at the assets that we have," he said.
Meantime, Miss Andrea Nisbett Aids Coordinator in Nevis during brief remarks expressed gratitude to the Health Minister for his presence which she said was indicative of the NIA's high priority placed on HIV/ AIDS.
She said the Unit was grateful for the partnerships it had already established in Nevis, without which the HIV/AIDS effort on Nevis would have been dead or dormant.
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| A cross section of participants in attendance at the HIV/AIDS Mobilisation Workshop in Nevis |
According to Miss Nisbett though HIV/AIDS was perceived to be a health problem was a problem of everyone that resided in St Kitts and Nevis. She challenged participants to work together to form a partnership and to take ownership of the HIV/AIDS problem and to ensure that it does not escalate any further.
Meantime, Mr Ron Daniel a participant and leader of the Gingerland Wesleyan Youth Group presented a $500 cheque to Miss Nisbett for use in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Mr Daniel explained that the donation was made possible from the proceeds of a bake sale the group had held earlier this year.
Participants from the workshop were drawn from a cross section of the Nevis public including social and church based groups, the private sector and the civil service.
The opening ceremony was chaired by Mrs Joslyn Liburd Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and the Vote of Thanks was delivered by Ms. Nadine Carty.
