Local stakeholders help refine
regional HIV/AIDS document
PHILIPSBURG--Local stakeholders in the field of HIV/AIDS met last week Thursday to review and contribute to the refining of a regional policy document on HIV/AIDS.
The consultation was convened to review the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS 2008-2012 and to provide feedback and recommendations to the Caribbean Community/Pan Caribbean Partnership (Caricom/PanCap) Against HIV/AIDS.
Local HIV/AIDS Programme Manager Suzette Moses-Burton explained in a press release Sunday that Thursday’s “consultation was very enlightening for our stakeholders, as it gave them an opportunity for the first time to contribute to a regional policy document.”
She continued: “It also provided the opportunity for them to understand the importance and relevance of having close linkages with the region as we move towards finding more effective and efficient ways to improve our own response to HIV/AIDS here in Sint Maarten.”
The document seeks to persuade all Caribbean nations to accelerate their individual efforts against the disease and to enhance the regional collaboration.
PanCap had requested all countries in the Caribbean to give summary reports on the document for the final revision.
Those present at Thursday’s consultation included members of the legal field, the education sector, HIV/AIDS Programme Management Team, Sector Health Care, St. Maarten AIDS Foundation, faith-based organisations and the financial field.
Moses-Burton said the report on the findings/revisions of the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework document would be submitted to PanCap by April 18 and a regional consultation would be convened in Jamaica May 1-2. At least two representatives of each country are expected to attend the consultation.
