AIDS

CARICOM Commission To visit St. Kitts – Nevis

St. Kitts Youth - World Aids Day 2007

St. Kitts Youth – World Aids Day 2007
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
May 26, 2008 (CUOPM)

A CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) which has embarked on an information and fact-finding mission across the region to conduct an analysis of the situation of Caribbean youth is to visit St. Kitts and Nevis.

The CARICOM Secretariat in a news release said the exercise aims at obtaining stakeholders’ views and recommendations on youth governance structures in member states and it represents one component of the CCYD’s mandate to conduct a comprehensive regional analysis of the situation of Caribbean youth aged 10-29.

A team comprising commissioners Hally Haynes, of Barbados; Co-Chair Yldiz Beighle, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Kyle De Freitas and Suriname’s Melvin Bouva, made its first stop in Barbados where they engaged representatives of departments responsible for youth affairs, national youth councils and national youth organisations in discussion.

Accompanied by Deputy Programme Manager Youth and Community Development, Dr Heather Johnson and Youth Consultant Sherwin Bridgewater, both from the Caricom Secretariat, the team focused their discussions on the strengths, challenges and opportunities of the existing youth governance structures and in the departments responsible for youth affairs and national youth councils/organisations.

Similar discussions will be held in St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, The Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Haiti and Jamaica and will contribute to a regional analysis of youth development and empowerment trends, issues and gaps.

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St. Kitts – Nevis Steps Up Fight On HIV/AIDS

St. Kitts – Nevis Health Secretary – Elvis Newton SKNIS Photo Basseterre, Saint Kitts -Nevis May 22, 2008 (SKNIS) Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Elvis Newton has called on youth groups to tap the resources of his Ministry …

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Saint Kitts – Nevis Has New AIDS/HIV Awareness Policy

Elvis Newton and Ian Richards

Elvis Newton and Ian Richards (L-R)
Photo By SKNIS

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
May 21, 2008 (SKNIS)

HIV/AIDS awareness in St. Kitts and Nevis was injected with new energies as the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors unveiled the latest initiative designed to encourage behavioural change through informed decision making.

A media launch for the project called “The More You Know” was held at Government Headquarters on Tuesday, and was attended by representatives from the Ministries of Health and Youth as well as an official from the CARICOM Secretariat in Guyana.

St. Kitts and Nevis’ male CARICOM Youth Ambassador Ian Richards gave an outline of the project which is divided into two phases. Phase I is dubbed “Get Tested.” This features the use of a televised Public Service Announcement (PSA) designed to encourage persons to find out their HIV status by having a test done. It uses a creative and up-tempo mix of local photo images and video footage of HIV/AIDS related activities to draw and maintain viewer interest. The declaration of a diverse number of persons from the local community who state “I did it” and ends with “So you can do it too” conveys an effective message as much of the imagery is taken from an HIV/AIDS Voluntary Counseling and Testing event.

Richards indicated that the PSA has tested well with audiences during private screenings “We have received a lot of positive feedback for this PSA and we are excited by the possibilities,” he revealed.

The PSA will be aired on ZIZ Television and the Cable in St. Kitts and on the Information Channel and GIS in Nevis for a minimum of six months.

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St. Kitts – Nevis Continues HIV / AIDS Testing

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
May 06, 2008 (SKNIS)

After a successful debut at the St. Paul’s Community Centre, the National AIDS Secretariat continues its convenient and confidential, community HIV Testing at the Cayon Primary School on Tuesday, May 13.

The second Community HIV Testing Day will commence at 4:00 p.m. and conclude at 9:00 p.m.

Ms. Lucine Pemberton, Health Educator and Counsellor as well as Coordinator of the Community HIV Testing Day, said that the upcoming event caters to residents of Keys and Cayon.  She reminded the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service that the service was requested by members of the general public, and it caters to residents who work outside of the Basseterre area, or have limited mobility.

Ms. Pemberton explained that just like the HIV Testing Days held in Basseterre, nurses and professional health personnel along with trained Voluntary Counselling and Testing Providers will be on hand, first to counsel then administer the test.  The Community HIV Testing Day coordinator was also pleased to reveal that test results should be returned approximately one hour after testing, as once again, AVALON Medical Laboratory will be on site to analyze samples.

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Nevis Health Minister Calls For Public’s Support

Nevis Health Minister - Hensley Daniel

Nevis Health Minister – Hensley Daniel

Charlestown, Nevis
April 18, 2008

Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Hensley Daniel urged the Nevis public to give full support to the programmes of the HIV/AIDS Unit on the island given the social and economic cost of the disease.
 
The Minister was at the time addressing the situating with regard to HIV/AIDS on Nevis during a sitting of the Nevis Island Assembly in Charlestown on April 15, 2008.
 
He said the disease required continue efforts at the school, family and community level and as such it was of absolute importance that he brought the matter to the attention of the general public, given the impact HIV/AIDS had on the population and it’s potential to destroy the social and economic fabric of the society.
 
“The challenge we have in this small country is that the strong socio cultural norms continue to drive the epidemic. These norms continue to allow for the early sexual debut and multi sexual partners. As such the HIV/AIDS Unit has developed the ABC approach ““ Abstinence, behaviour change and Condom Use.

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