The Anguilla Community Action Network (ACAN), in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation, held a one-day Stakeholders’ Workshop at the Soroptimist Day Care Centre on Wednesday, July 11. The workshop was declared open by Minister of Social Development, Edison Baird.
ACAN seeks to support persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. It is doing so by working to eliminate stigma and discrimination though education, empowerment and integration, while endeavouring to stop the spread of all sexually-transmitted infections.
The opening ceremony of the workshop was chaired by Principal Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Kenneth Hodge. He commended ACAN for its work on the island. He observed that the group had a small membership of extremely committed persons contributing their time selflessly to advancing its plans and programmes for the shared benefit of the community.
Mr. Hodge also delivered an address by PAHO’s Country Representative inAnguilla, Katrina Smith. She joined in applauding the efforts of the organisers of the workshop, and the President and members of ACAN, for their vision in the development of a strategic plan for Anguilla.
She cautioned that such a plan should not be viewed as a stand-alone effort, but should be closely aligned with the Anguilla National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS and the vision of the Ministry of Social Development. She applauded ACAN, on behalf of Dr. Merle Lewis, PAHOs Representative for theEastern Caribbean, for its work.
The feature address was delivered by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development, Dr. Bonnie Richardson-Lake. She noted that the Caribbean region had the highest HIV prevalence in the world outside of sub-SaharanAfrica. “There is, however, some good news,” she reported. “In recent years, there has been a slight decline in new HIV infections in the region: from 20,000 in 2001 to 17,000 in 2009. AIDS-related deaths in the Caribbean fell from an estimated 19,000 in 2001 to 12,000 in 2009.” She noted that “the decrease is largely due to improvements in distribution of antiretroviral drugs and a better spread of information on prevention.”
In her well-researched presentation, Dr. Richardson-Lake continued: “HIV prevalence in Anguilla when compared with the rest of the Caribbean is very low. During the period 1988-2011 there were 40 reported cases of HIV infection with the majority of persons infected being between the ages of 30 and 39. Of the known infections, 17 were females and 23 were males. We know that this is most likely just the tip of the iceberg because many do not know their HIV status. Others may have tested elsewhere and are therefore not known to us.”
The Stakeholders’ Workshop, facilitated by Farah Mukhida, Executive Director of the Anguilla National Trust, had the following objectives: determine the main issues and concerns of key stakeholder groups and individuals toward HIV/AIDS in Anguilla; determine the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders as they relate to addressing HIV/AIDS in Anguilla; identify current and future gaps in HIV/AIDS-related work in Anguilla; and make recommendations to the Government of Anguilla relating to addressing the disease on the island.
