JAMAICA'S EFFORTS to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic is expected to be strengthened significantly with the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) establishing an office here.
At a small ceremony to mark the official launch of the office at Devon House, St. Andrew, on Saturday night, Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of UNAIDS and under-secretary of the UN, said, "The role of the UNAIDS office in Jamaica will be to provide swift, accessible policy dialogue and technical support on key emerging issues, advocacy to keep AIDS high on the national level."
He said the establishment of an office in Jamaica was "timely" and the decision was influenced by what he described as a "growing momentum of political commitment."
EXPERTISE
John Junor, the minister of health, in welcoming UNAIDS, said, "The presence of the UNAIDS office with its vast expertise in this area of advocacy will help us greatly to mobilise and empower country-level public, private and civil society partnerships, which will ensure that the involvement of all sectors and groups is expanded." Mr. Junor said the UNAIDS and its partnering agencies have been instrumental in providing both financial and technical assistance in the fight against the pandemic in Jamaica. Most notably, the minister said, "UNAIDS has also been instrumental in the reduction of prices for antiretroviral drugs for Jamaica and together with UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) provided funds for the pilot project for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV."
UNAIDS was established in 1995 and is supported by 10 UN agencies in executing its function as the chief advocate for worldwide action against AIDS. The new office in Jamaica will be headed by Miriam Maluwa, the UNAIDS senior adviser on law and human rights, and will also serve Cuba and the Bahamas.
