PANCAP OBSERVES BRAZIL HIV/AIDS PROGRAMME

A high level team led by Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis will visit Brazil from 4-8 April 2005 to examine that country's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and to explore avenues for technical cooperation between the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) and Brazil, in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

The leading producer of anti-retroviral drugs in Latin America and the Caribbean, Brazil stands out as a model in the fight against HIV/AIDS, recording over a five year period (1995-2000) a 70 per cent reduction in AIDS related deaths; 60-80 percent reduction in AIDS related opportunistic infections and savings of more than US$670M from 1997-2000, among other achievements.

A number of activities have been slated for the Brazil mission, including several field visits to various HIV/AIDS programmes and treatment centres. These include workplace initiatives, advocacy work with foreign students, support home for women, youth programmes, and to mother-to-child prevention centres and health promotion centre for poor population.

A key highlight of the mission is the visit to the Far-Manguinhos Institute, an ARV production plant. Several Members of the Mission are also expected to call on Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.

While no formal structure of CARICOM/ Brazil relations exist, CARICOM currently cooperates with the South American territory at a technical level on HIV/AIDS. It is expected that this Mission will result in enhanced collaboration thereby accelerating the Caribbean's fight against the epidemic.

The PANCAP team also includes several CARICOM Ministers of Health, technical and managerial experts of PANCAP's core institutions and CARICOM members of staff and UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS, the Caribbean Region, Sir George Alleyne.