Project to Focus on HIV and AIDS Intervention

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Health News

Saturday, 08 September 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John’s - Talks are in the advanced stage to mobilise “key policy gatekeepers” to expand and strengthen HIV/AIDS response in Antigua & Barbuda and the wider Eastern Caribbean.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Transformation Senator Malaka Parker and Senior Program Officer of the Caribbean HIV & AIDS Alliance (CHAA) Mr. Svenn Grant discussed strategies and approaches necessary to increase gender sensitive and gender appropriate HIV/AIDS intervention for vulnerable groups.

Senator Parker commended the Caribbean HIV & AIDS Alliance for the work they have done locally in the areas of strategic intervention and support outreach to vulnerable and most at risk communities to include men and women, sex workers (commercial or transactional), men who have sex with men, heterosexuals with multiple partners and people living with HIV.
 
Grant meanwhile, explained that Antigua & Barbuda and the rest of the Eastern Caribbean will benefit from a USAID funded $14 million project dubbed the Eastern Caribbean Community Action Project II (EC CAP II) for the next three years, with an expected outcome being to increase access to HIV/AIDS prevention and care treatment services for most at risk populations in the Eastern Caribbean.

Both agreed that the key strategy to ensure sustainability of the project is “national ownership” in response to mitigating the spread of HIV to most at risk populations in Antigua & Barbuda.
 
Senator Parker pledged her full support for the project and acknowledged that the country has made significant strides to target communities that are excluded or marginalised from mainstream service provision. She also called for the net to be widened to youths.
 
She added that emphasis should be placed on consistent engagement of various stakeholder groups in society to include political, religious and civil society leadership as a part of the discourse.
 
Grant concurred that the CHAA country office has identified two key areas for further dialogue to address matters relating to the Human Rights of Sexually Diverse Groups in Antigua & Barbuda.
 
He is optimistic, though that with setting up of a project advisory board to channel representations from key stakeholders, these issues can be systematically addressed.
 
Greater emphasis, in this regard will also be placed on transforming structural issues such as gender inequalities and access to services for persons who are living with HIV by utilising a holistic approach to improve their quality of life, promote healthy living and reduce risky behaviour.
 
Mr. Grant said strategic partnerships between his organisation and such agencies like the HIV/AIDS Secretariat, the Gender Affairs Department and other civil society organisations are key to his organisation’s ability to complement and support target groups
 

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The project will seek to further intensify the role, engagement and work of peer educators, utilise and disseminate information on HIV, as well as place greater emphasis on strengthening capacity through training and empowerment.
 

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