Georgetown, Guyana – The director of the Coordinating Unit for the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), Dr Wendy Telgt-Emanuelson, says innovative approaches are essential to achieving the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.
The three-day 10th meeting of the National AIDS Programme Managers and Key Partners is scheduled to take place in Trinidad and Tobago from March 17, and in a statement, Dr Telgt-Emanuelson said its purpose was to build consensus on strategies within the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF) 2026–2030 that would advance the region toward eliminating AIDS.
She said that this will require continued alignment, integration, and the application of innovative approaches to ensure national, regional, and international targets are met.
“We must strengthen a coordinated, equitable, and sustainable Caribbean HIV response, one that is aligned with the CRSF 2026–2030, and driven by regional priorities, community-centred approaches, and evidence-informed policy and programme actions,”
Telgt-Emanuelson said that the meeting in Port of Spain was also expected to result in enhanced awareness, shared understanding, and stakeholder ownership of the CRSF, including its strategic priorities, implementation expectations, and relevance to national and community HIV programming.
The meeting will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders whose roles are central to shaping and sustaining the Caribbean’s HIV response. Participants will include national-level leaders such as national AIDS programme managers, chief medical officers, and permanent secretaries from ministries of Health and other relevant sectors.
Civil society organisations and community-based networks, particularly those representing key populations and People Living with HIV, will also attend the three-day conference with PANCAP saying that “their voices will be critical in ensuring that the regional HIV response remains grounded in the realities of those most affected”. (CMC)
