The Pan Caribbean Partner-ship Against HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean (PANCAP) has been boosted by the signing yesterday of a financing agreement worth eight million euros between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Federal Republic of Germany.

The CARICOM Secreta-riat at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, said in a press release that the grant is to be disbursed in two tranches, the first being five million. The agreement would enable the disbursement of the final three million euros following a successful review of the activities undertaken with the first five million under the project.

The project, which began in March 2005, was initially implemented in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and in 2007 it was extended to include Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, the Eastern Caribbean islands and St Maarten.

According to the release, the latest disbursement will allow for activities to continue until a second assessment is conducted later this year. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to reducing the HIV infection rate and the transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases.

Specifically it is aimed at preventing the spread of HIV infection through social and behaviour change communication in the Caribbean and increasing the total condom market, including sales and distribution of commercial condoms, social marketing condom brands and public sector condoms.

A review of the project has shown that at the end of 2007, social marketing condom sales had increased in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Belize.

Meanwhile, behaviour change communication activities using a multi-media approach – such as television and peer educators – have reached thousands of young persons in Belize, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, and a sexual debut campaign in the Dominican Republic has reached approximately 3.9 million people.

In Haiti, the second edition of the “Journal Jen” youth magazine, which provides information on HIV and AIDS and is aimed primarily at out-of-school youths, was produced. And 16,000 of the 20,000 magazines produced were distributed.

Public awareness campaigns on HIV and AIDS control have targeted a large section of the population in the target countries with the use of a television soap opera in the Dominican Republic being an outstanding example.

CARICOM Secretary-General Edwin Carrington signed on behalf of the Com-munity while the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to CARICOM, Ernest Martens signed on behalf of his country.