History of PANCAP
What is PANCAP?
The Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS, PANCAP, was established by a Declaration of CARICOM Heads of Government on 14 February 2001 in response to the threat of HIV to sustainable human development.
PANCAP is a Caribbean regional partnership of governments, regional civil society organisations, regional institutions and organisations, bilateral and multilateral agencies and contributing donor partners.
PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS (CRSF) to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilises resources and build capacity of partners.
PANCAP at its Core
PANCAP provides a voice to the community and civil society including people living with HIV and key population groups such as men who have sex with men (MSM), sex workers, people who use drugs, migrants and youth, at the highest level of decision-making.
PANCAP focuses on policy coordination in relation to human rights, advocacy, stigma and discrimination reduction, civil society, harmonisation of donors and technical agencies in HIV.
PANCAP’s Unique Value
The continued affirmation by the Heads of Government gives due recognition to the unique value of PANCAP to the region:
- PANCAP is uniquely positioned to engage in harmonisation of donor engagements at the regional and international levels, for example PANCAP is a member of the Board of the Global Fund and part of governance structure of PEPFAR in the Caribbean.
- PANCAP brings the necessary linkages between the region’s public health agenda and other sectors such as education and youth through its structural arrangements at the CARICOM Secretariat and its access to regional ministerial bodies.
- PANCAP is one of the two pillars of regional health and is mutually reinforcing of commitments made under the CARICOM Cooperation in Health III; Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is the other.
- PANCAP models the principles of the Cotonou Agreement of Aid effectiveness (equality of partners, global participation (State and non-state actors, dialogue and regionalisation) through providing a strong coordination and harmonisation function via its Coordinating Unit and governance structures.
- PANCAP leverages CARICOM/CARIFORUM’s reach and legitimacy into national, regional and international spheres.
- PANCAP ensures Ministers of Health and Heads of Government remain engaged on HIV.
Key Events in PANCAP’s History
PANCAP’s Key Achievements
- Since the inception of the PANCAP in 2001, there have been notable successes as stated in the 2015 UNAIDS Global Report:
- A decline in overall regional prevalence from 2.2 % to less than 1%;
- Sharpest regional reductions in HIV incidence by 49%;
- Declining AIDS-related deaths by 52% from 24,000 deaths in 2001 to 11,000 deaths in 2012;
- Antiretroviral coverage increased to over 52% from 5% of the eligible population in 2001;
- Virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission in some countries; the region is poised to become the first region of the world to achieve elimination, with Cuba already achieving the target.
- Countries have been strengthened with improved capacity to implement prevention, treatment, and care interventions for which Member States are to be commended.
- Substantial investments have been made in strengthening health systems and in scaling up services for on-going care and support for increasing numbers of people. Consequently people with AIDS are living longer and are now being affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
- Regional public goods and services delivered by support agencies have lowered transaction costs, relieving the burden on the economies of small states, and have reduced the inefficiencies inherent in individual countries by building capacity in the same areas.
Current Strategic Issues for PANCAP
- Integration of HIV into health and socio economic development.
- Reaching, testing and retaining persons living with HIV in treatment and care to achieve the 90-90-90 targets and ultimately the end of AIDS.
- Financial and institutional sustainability at national level through HIV investment and country ownership.
- Pooled procurement and price negotiations for meds and lab reagents and creating efficiencies within supply chain management.
- Addressing structural barriers (policy and legislation) that impede vulnerable people’s access to services through Justice for All led by United Nations Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean.
- Addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability and risk: Poverty, inequality and social exclusion.