The Tribune

CARICOM's Deputy Secretary General, Dr Manorma Soeknandan, on Friday officially launched a new website designed to be a 'one stop shop' for information and data on HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean.

The Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) celebrated the launch of its new website at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana.

The new site will offer improved functionality, interactive features and aims to intensify the level of knowledge sharing, capacity building and networking among the PANCAP partners including civil society organisations, national AIDS programme managers, clinicians, technical experts in HIV, key populations (and youth within key populations), faith leaders, parliamentarians and regional and development partners.

"Anyone seeking current epidemiological data and information on the response to HIV and AIDS in our region should find the new PANCAP website a very useful resource tool," said Dr Soeknandan of the Republic of Suriname,

"I am pleased to say, that the PANCAP K4Health Team has delivered beyond expectations on a website that strategically caters to the variety of audiences seeking information on HIV and AIDS in our region. As you know, the PANCAP Coordinating Unit, the engine of PANCAP, has developed into a dynamic unit within the CARICOM Secretariat. Having reviewed the new website, I am pleased to say that it has the most up-to-date functionality. It is available in four languages, enabling PANCAP to further serve the English, French, Dutch and Spanish-speaking Caribbean."

Dr Soeknandan said this is the kind of dynamic platform that enables PANCAP to disseminate strategic information to meet the expressed needs of all partners.

"The CARICOM Secretariat has been a strong advocate for increasing literacy of the people of the region to access information communication technology with the ultimate outcome of innovative, ICT-enabled economies and societies across the Caribbean region. The CARICOM Secretariat's efforts are geared toward connecting the Secretariat to the people whom it serves," she said.

"My vision for the new PANCAP online platform is the same. The PANCAP website will serve as the all-important repository for people living with HIV and AIDS, clinicians, technical experts in HIV and AIDS, civil society organisations, key populations, youth, parliamentarians, faith leaders, private sector and all stakeholders to fill the information gap and update partners on new developments in the HIV and AIDS arena."

Dr Soeknandan said networking, capacity-building and knowledge sharing are key strategies for ending AIDS by 2030.

"The newly designed website can now help PANCAP to successfully implement these strategies among our members, partners and stakeholders," she said.

"I encourage everyone to make full use of this new digital tool and to utilise the information and resources to inform programming for eliminating HIV transmission and sustaining people living with the disease."