Georgetown: Guyana is not on track to close the AIDS resource gap by 2015, despite prolonged calls for the government to plan for the scaling down by donors, according to the National AIDS Committee (NAC).
NAC in its World AIDS Day statement noted that t is still awaiting the release of a report emanating from consultations organised by the Health Ministry, the National AIDS Progamme Secretariat and UNAIDS on this issue.
The NAC said that such findings or recommendations (in the report) could contribute to innovative thinking, not only around new sources of funding, but on how best to reduce and/or retain the HIV qualified and committed personnel, either on special and/or normal contracts.
NAC stated that there is little or no information on the current National HIV Strategic Plan (NSP) regarding the integration of personnel and the strategic transition planning process being implemented to support integration of Anti-retroviral (ARV) funding and procurement into Health Ministry.
“The governance dimensions based on principles of informed consultation, accountability and transparency are still to be put in place within the national HIV framework. Perhaps this will become more achievable given the recent calls for local ownership from the government, donors and international agencies. This may well result in People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and other vulnerable groups becoming more knowledgeable and discerning as to who really owns the HIV national programme and response, despite the rhetoric and technical lingo.”
The NAC explained that stigma continues to prevent HIV-positive victims from playing a public role in combating the disease. It pointed out that PLWHA, at a recent meeting, noted the lack of an enabling environment which would encourage the “more educated” and “more economically-stable” HIV positives and individuals in other “key populations” in taking on advocacy roles.
According to NAC, PLWHA from the interior and rural communities, where poverty was “really biting in”, stated that they are at a great disadvantage not only in accessing the HIV normal and specialised services, but also basic services, for example, Old Age Pension, Public Assistance, and other health and welfare referrals given to people suffering from substance abuse or mental illness.
The NAC further highlighted that the recent meeting also confirmed the extent of Amerindians’ vulnerability towards the infection, while adding that there was re-affirmation by the PLWHAs in the 2012 consensus that “while all HIV positives still remain vulnerable, the most at-risk groups in terms of discrimination in Guyana are HIV positive Amerindians, women and people with disabilities whose access to jobs, education and HIV treatment are already reduced by virtue of discrimination on grounds of being indigenous, women or people with disabilities”, and that “the most at-risk of all vulnerable groups are Amerindian women, due to the gold rush taking place in interior areas” since “large numbers of itinerant miners have ready access to Amerindian communities in remote areas; young Amerindian girls are being trafficked into mining camps for sex work purposes while doctors rarely visit communities, at most on a quarterly basis”.
World Aids Day was observed Sunday last.
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