CobbTHE UNITED States (U.S.) Ambassador to Jamaica Sue Cobbs held a reception at her residence on Stony Hill Road, St. Andrew on Saturday, January 31 for a U.S. delegation to raise awareness of Jamaica's fight with HIV/AIDS in the U.S.
The delegation arrived in Jamaica on a mission to get more local and U.S. companies to help fight HIV/AIDS in Jamaica.
The high-ranking delegation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States Congress and pharmaceutical companies saw first-hand what some non-government organisations (NGO) were doing to make people aware of the disease.
WORK
The delegation saw some of the works of NGOs such as Jamaica AIDS Support, Family Health International, Woman Inc., Mustard Seed, Children First and Woman's Centre of Jamaica among others, which had display booths at the Ambassador Cobbs' residence.
The Ashé dance group did its production 'Vibes in the World of Sexuality", a musical on sexual transmitted diseases and their effects on the body. The production which is more than 10 years old, has been seen in almost every Caribbean country.
Aside from the reception, the nine-member delegation had a series of meetings over with Jamaican Government officials, businesspersons, and NGO representatives. It toured key HIV/AIDS education and prevention centres. The delegation was led by Adolfo Franco, USAID's assistant administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean; Abner Mason, chairman of the U.S. Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS; David Greeley, a senior director of External Affairs at pharmaceutical giant Merck and Co. and senior advisors and aides to U.S. Congressmen and women.
