Six Caribbean National Societies for HIV Global Alliance

Jamaica Red Cross is one of six National Societies in the Caribbean which will participate in the Global Alliance on HIV, formed by the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (International Federation).

At a press conference held Wednesday August 8 at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston, Dr. Mukesh Kapila, Special Representative on HIV and AIDS from the International Federation noted that “we need to do much more and do much better” if we are to efficiently tackle the issue of HIV and AIDS.

“We need to start focusing more on quality and not just quantity and put more emphasis on not so much what is done but also how it is done,” he emphasised.

The HIV Global Alliance is an enabling framework to mobilize capacities and resources to provide harmonized, effective support to National Societies for the achievement of their HIV programmes within the framework of the Federation’s Global Agenda.
 
The Global Alliance offers a structure by which the Global Agenda Goals and the Millennium Development Goals can be achieved collectively and efficiently.

Dr. Kapila in his message, reported that the magnitude and complexity of the HIV epidemic requires governments, the UN system, NGOs, the private sector and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement to align their resources and capacities, guided by their particular comparative advantages, to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of benefits for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable populations.

“While the Red Cross is independent, impartial and neutral by way of its fundamental principles, we also acknowledge that we cannot work in isolation and so we would continue to operate within the established systems,” notes Dr. Kapila.

The other National Societies from the Caribbean which have been targeted to participate in the Global Alliance are Belize, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti and Trinidad & Tobago.

The Alliance also includes Asia, Europe and Africa which have been selected by the International Federation as other priority regions for the implementation of the programme.

Partner agencies seem to be pleased with the initiative. Ms. AnnMarie Dobson, Director of Public Education at the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, sees the Global Alliance as a new kind of partnership which seeks to employ creative ways of dealing with the prevention of HIV. “It is a call for action for us to collectively and creatively deal with the issue of HIV.”

Ms. Andrea Downer, a journalist and representative of Panos Caribbean, an agency which works with marginalized communities and individuals, believes that the HIV Global Alliance is a good initiative to combat HIV and the issues surrounding it.

“It’s aimed at reaching the crucial groups of people who are usually overlooked,” commented Ms. Downer, stating HIV positive orphans and men who sleep with men (MSM) as examples.

“It touches the core of humanity and seeks to help those who cannot help themselves,” she added.
 
Dr. Jaslin Salmon, President of the Jamaica Red Cross, in his greetings noted that the Global Alliance will help the society to continue its role of helping those infected by HIV.

“The Jamaica Red Cross stands ready and prepared to assume its role of improving the lives of those made vulnerable,” he stated.

Over 40 guests were at the press conference which included members of the media, HIV partner agencies and Red Cross staff and volunteers.