What Can Parliamentarians Do to End Aids
“What Can Parliamentarians Do to End Aids?” That was the question surrounding a forum hosted today by the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/Aids and the National Aids Commission in Belize at the Ramada Belize City Princess. Since 2013, there have been consultations with parliamentarians within the region to develop PANCAP’s Justice for All Programme. Its aim is to promote activities which eliminate stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and to uphold the human rights and dignity of all. The event had parliamentarians from both political parties as well as social partners from the Senate. Speaker of the House, Laura Longsworth, is also the Chair of the National Aids Commission and she says that it is an opportunity to plan the way forward to end HIV/Aids by 2030.
Laura Longsworth
Laura Longsworth, Chair, National Aids Commission
“When we talk about ending Aids, it means reducing the infection rate, new infection rate. Every year, we have too many people diagnosed with HIV/Aids and if you listened to the minister’s presentation this morning, he noted that the prevalence rate has increased from one point four to one point nine. And so he ended by saying we have lots of work to do. Why parliamentarians? You guys know, parliamentarians approve bills and push through in the interest of the nation. They have supported us so far with a number of bills—whether it is reproductive health bills, policy and so on. But right now the country needs to focus on ending stigma and discrimination.”
Pablo Marin
Pablo Marin, Minister of Health
“The main concern is that funding is getting depleted and what we are trying to do is sensitize parliament for whenever we need finance, they will agree to it. But the main important thing is for us to pass legislation. There is a lot of discrimination and stigma going around and we need to remove that. We need to show people out there that even though you have Aids that does not mean that it is the end of it. We have been doing more testing, we have been giving free medication so I feel proud of what the ministry has done, what the NAC is doing because they are the ones promoting for you to do testing; promoting that this is not the end of life.”
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Area Rep., Cayo North
“I believe what PANCAP is doing is to try and get information out to parliamentarians throughout the Caribbean and of course the CARICOM Secretariat is a part of the sponsoring team to get parliamentarians involved in trying to see how we can participate either by voicing our opinions, passing legislation and approving funding to continue the HIV/Aids prevention and treatment programmes in our country.”
