HIV/AIDS meetings to be held in Cayman

Minister of Health Services, 
the Hon Gilbert McLean

Monday, December 8, 2003

Representatives from international agencies will continue the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean during a three-day meeting in the Cayman Islands, followed immediately by Cayman's local meeting to refine its own national strategic plan for HIV/AIDS.

From 8 to 10 December, the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) will have its international partners' meeting regarding its Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean. Opening the event will be the Minister of Health Services, the Hon Gilbert McLean.

On 11 and 12 December Cayman residents, representing various community sectors, will define key elements of the Islands' National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS. Medical Officer of Health, Dr Kiran Kumar noted that CAREC consultants, Nicola Taylor and Stewart Smith, who have been working this year with the ministry and Public Health on the plan, would be instrumental to the process.

Supported by various international agencies, CAREC has been instrumental in assisting all Caribbean countries with the development of national strategic plans for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, he acknowledged.

CAREC Director, Dr C. James Hospedales, in a letter to the ministry, acknowledged that the international partners' meeting from 8-9 December is "quite an important event in the calendar of our (programme). It facilitates a review of activities being implemented to prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS in our region, and charts the course for future work with inputs from our funding partners and stakeholders."

About 30 people are expected to attend the partners' meeting at the Marriott. Represented agencies include the Canadian International Development Agency, Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-European Union for Strengthening the Institutional Response to HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in the Caribbean, the German Technical Co-operation, the French Technical Co-operation, the UK Department for International Development, the US Agency for International Development; the US Centres for Disease Control, and the Pan American Health Organisation

Back...