(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)    Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) in collaboration with the German International Cooperation (GIZ), EPOS Health Management and Ministry of Health Guyana will host a Bi-National Commission for Collaboration on Health for Guyana and Suriname from 11-13 July, 2013 in Georgetown, Guyana.

The three day meeting to be held at the Guyana Conference Center Liliandall will be attended by the Ministers of Health of Guyana and Suriname Dr. Bheri Ramsaran  and Honourable Michel Bolkland and other senior Government officials from both countries. Also in attendance would be the Head of the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) in Suriname Dr. Guillermo Troya, and his colleague Dr. Gustavo Bretas.

This Bi- National Commission meeting originated from a bid by the Ministry of Health, Suriname and the recommendations of two consultancies completed under the PANCAP/GIZ/EPOS Migrant Project. The consultants’ recommendations were influenced by their findings which highlighted the similarities in geographic location, the experiences of high cross- border movement and the matching profile of the migrant and mobile population within both countries

In addition to discussing issues related to HIV/AIDS, participants will also deliberate on health and wellness matters related to migrant and mobile populations in Guyana and Suriname.  These would include neglected Tropical Diseases, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other communicable diseases. The outcome of the meeting will be a framework for Bi-national collaboration on health service policies related to migration and mobility and the priority health issues of both countries

The Migrant Project supports all priority areas of the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF 2008-2012) but is mainly centered on Priority Area 3, Prevention of HIV transmission with specific emphasis on migrant and mobile populations. The project has four components: improving legal and policy framework, implementing innovative health financing mechanisms, empowering communities and making HIV services more migrant friendly.

PANCAP is a regional partnership established by CARICOM Heads of Government in 2001 to respond to the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean

Valerie Beach Horne

Strategic Information and Communication Officer

For further details,

contact :www.pancap.org

pancap@caricom.org;piu@caricom.org;vbeachhorne@caricom.org