-St Lucia suggests regional fundraising
St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas has lauded Guyana’s efforts to ensure that other Caribbean countries also benefit and expressed hope that other Heads of Government would support plans to raise funds to tackle HIV/AIDS in the region.
According to a press release Douglas said Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy’s efforts to include other states besides Guyana and Haiti are to be praised as they have set the stage for middle income regional states to receive assistance. Guyana was also recognised as the first country in the region to provide free anti-retroviral treatment for persons living with the infection and continues to be one of few states to offer such a programme. However, it has been noted that stigma and discrimination against persons living with the disease continues to be an area of concern in the Caribbean.
Douglas who is lead Head responsible for Health and Humanity Services made these comments at the just-concluded 29th Caribbean Community Summit. Caricom heads and their five associate members are being briefed on the operations of the task force established to handle the fight against the disease through the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS as regional efforts to stem the disease are ongoing. Douglas was also expected to update his colleagues on the region’s negotiations at the recently held United Nations (UN) Special session on HIV/AIDS. He noted that the region has an appropriate response as it relates to prevention, care, treatment and support.
The task force is expected to present a number of initiatives to the Heads since the next five years are expected to be crucial to the force especially in the area of financing. Meanwhile, St Lucia Prime Minister Stephenson King said he is prepared to call on his colleagues to make a national financial contribution to stem the infection particularly since the region would need an estimated US$50M for the five-year programme. King said there would be need to access funds from the Global Fund which was set up within the framework of the UN system; renewed effort as regards the region’s donor partners such as the Canadian International Development Agency and PEPFAR. “We know too that they have been scaling back on their contribution, they have contributed US$45M in the first five years and now it is the turn of regional governments,” King said.
Douglas said he was optimistic that the other Heads would accept the proposal given the devastating effect HIV/AIDS has had on the region. He said too he is hopeful that countries besides Guyana and Haiti would come on board and accept more money from the Fund while middle income Caricom nations would also benefit.
