November 28th, 2012 -- Representatives of the sixty-two member Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), recommitted to achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2015, as a step towards the Caribbean’s elimination of HIV in the foreseeable future.
A Declaration, issued at the end of the Twelfth Annual General Meeting of the Partnership held on 24-26 October 2012, in Belize City, Belize identified three areas of priorities that the Partnership resolved to address, in this regard. The areas are: (i) the post 2015 Agenda towards achieving sustainable social development and equity (ii) investment for results; and (iii) reshaping the regional architecture for the health and HIV partnership.
Under the chairmanship the Hon. Fenton Ferguson, Minister of Health, Jamaica and current Chair of the PANCAP Executive Board, the meeting reaffirmed its commitment to the PANCAP 10TH anniversary Declaration (Nov. 2010) and noted the significant progress made at national and regional level towards achieving its goals .In this regard, the commitment of the PANCAP membership who have worked jointly over the 12 years of the Partnership’s existence to advance the Caribbean’s response was acknowledged.
While commending the progress made in several strategic areas against the targets set in 2010 and the increased political and community engagement in the response; the meeting, at the same time, acknowledged the still unacceptable levels of HIV infection in some specific groups and populations… and the social, legal and political challenges in affirming the rights of PLHIV and marginalized population to universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support. The high cost of ARVs was identified as a threat to the sustainability of treatment.
The Partnership, in its resolve to address the post-2015 agenda, accepted the recommendation that HIV and health be mainstreamed into the global agenda towards sustainable development, equity and social development. To move this recommendation forward, the meeting agreed that a Regional Consultation on Health and Development be convened in early 2013 to explore new strategic directions and linkages.
The meeting also emphasized the need to address the social determinants of health and promoting social justice and equity as well as the need for strong leadership and political commitment at the highest levels to support the health and sustainable development agenda on the global platform.
On the issue of investment for results, public/private sector partnerships and the application of shared responsibility to include strengthening systems of governance, integration of vertical HIV programmes into strengthened health systems and accountability were identified as key to achieving optimum results to investments in AIDS programmes.
Several factors were acknowledged and endorsed as important in the process to reshape the regional architecture for the health and HIV partnership. These include:
• …primary health care that takes into account inclusion of HIV into the fight against NCDs and as part of the social determinants of health
• …the distinctive and complementary roles of PANCAP and the newly established Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)
• …the integration of HIV and sexual and reproductive health into the human rights framework, particularly emphasizing the role of Civil Society, PLHIV and vulnerable communities.
• ..encouraging regional research and development programmes, in support of evidence based interventions and policies in the accelerated AIDS response.
The Partnership, in the reshaping process also supported the plans by various member countries to advance the human rights agenda intent on reducing stigma and discrimination through… national consultations engaging fait-based organizations, youth, key populations and the media; and noted the call of the UN Special Envoy for the Caribbean to reinstate the Champions for Change [initiative]; thereby broadening stakeholder support for the elimination of stigma and discrimination.
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