Caribbean Leader To Ask CARICOM To Contribute Toward $50M Initiative To Fight HIV/AIDS

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 09 Jul 2008 - 6:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, a physician who also is responsible for heath concerns in the Caribbean Community, announced recently that he plans to ask CARICOM to contribute to a $50 million initiative to combat HIV/AIDS in the region during the next five years, the Miami Herald reports. The Caribbean region has the second-highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world, after sub-Saharan Africa. The funding is needed for the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS to reach goals regarding HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010, Douglas said. He added that he is seeking funding from other sources -- such as the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the U.S. government. According to the Herald, the Caribbean "has made considerable progress" in reducing mother-to-child HIV transmission, curbing new cases and increasing the percentage of people who are living longer with the virus. Douglas said, "Given ... the devastation and how HIV/AIDS can in fact prevent the continued development of the Caribbean people, I am sure that my governments will understand" (Charles, Miami Herald, 7/3).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

• Additional
• References
• Citations