NAPS Newsletter Issue 10

Ministry of Public Health

News

Programme Manager: Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony A quarterly newsletter by the National AIDS Programme Secretariat

Volume 1 Issue 10 April to June 2016

MOPH/NAPS disseminates updated HIV Estimates for Guyana and conducts HIV Review and Planning Workshop

H

IV Estimates are modeled annually by countries with technical support from UANIDS and other Partners using the Spectrum software. Countries are provided with the software guidance and data collection needs each year and undergo UNAIDS supported training in Spectrum biennially.

This year (a non-training year), the Estimates were developed in country by a team of persons previously trained in the Spectrum software. The Team members included Dr. Shanti Singh (Programme Manager), Fiona Persaud (M&E Lead), Yanita Jaundoo (Care & Treatment Coordinator), Sasha Waldrond (Surveillance Officer), Dr. Yaye Diallo (UNAIDS SI Adviser), Preeta Jagan (PEPFAR SI Officer), Oswald Alleyne (CDC Public Health Specialist), and Dr. Ruth Jacobs (Care and Support Officer, APC).

The Team came together on a number of occasions during February –April

In This ISSUE Pg 2 HIV testing in the Hinterland Region boosted-Malaria Microscopic trained as tester counselors

Pg 3 People living with HIV and AIDS certified as peer educators Pg 3 Guyana Participates in the Regional Day of Testing Pg 3 HIV Education- targeting the religious community Pg 4 FAREWELL and THANK YOU to Dr. Yaye Diallo and Ms. Stephanie Joseph De Goes

2016 to validate and input data into the software and run the Estimates and Projections for 2015-2020. Feedback was received from UNAIDS Geneva on the Guyana Draft file and the Estimates were finalized in May 2016.

HIV estimates are important because they provide for a standard way of generating data for key indicators so that country data can be comparable at the global level. Additionally, Estimates provide the denominators necessary for countries to report on progress toward providing ART to PLHIV including HIV positive pregnant women to avoid transmission to their child.

HIV estimates also allow countries to monitor their success in changing the

course of the epidemic and to plan and respond accordingly. With an estimate of the number of people living with HIV,

countries can have data for the far left bar on their Treatment Cascade.

G u ya n a ’s 2 0 1 5 E s t i m a t e s w e r e published together with the Estimates for the Caribbean and Latin America in the UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2016 Report, in time for the UN High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS in New York in June 2016.

HIV Estimates, Guyana 2015 ESTIMATED HIV PREVALENCE

ESTIMATED AIDS DEATHS

PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV

ESTIMATED NEW HIV INFECTIONS

ESTIMATED COVERAGE (%) OF PLHIV RECEIVING ART ESTIMATED % PREGNANT WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV WHO RECEIVED ART FOR PMTCT NUMBER OF PEOPLE RECEIVING ART AND MOTHERS RECEIVING ANTIRETROVIRALS FOR PREVENTING MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION

(Women, ages 15-49)

1.6

(Men, ages 15-49)

1.4

(Adults, ages 15-49)

1.5

(All ages)

<200

(Children, ages 0-14)

<100

(Women, ages 15+)

<100

(Adults, ages 15+)

<200

(Children, ages 0-14)

<200

(Women, ages 15+)

3900

(Adults, ages 15+)

7600

(All ages)

7800

Mothers needing ARVs for PMTCT

<500

(Children, ages 0-14)

<100

(Women, ages 15+)

<200

(Adults, ages 15+)

<500

(All ages)

<500

(Adults, ages 15+)

57

(Women, ages 15+)

62

(Children, ages 0-14)

>95

(All ages)

58

(Effective regimen- excluding single dose Nevirapine, 2010-2015)

76

(Adults, ages 15+)

4394

(Children, ages 0-14)

157

Mothers receiving antiretroviral therapy

167

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MOPH/NAPS disseminates updated HIV Estimates ...

At the country level, the 2015 HIV estimates were shared with partners and other stakeholders at the HIV Programme Overview and Planning Workshop held on May 31 & June 1. This workshop was organized by the National AIDS Programme Secretariat/MOPH to achieve the following objectives: 1. Provide an update on programme implementation for 2015 2. R e v i e w t h e c h a l l e n g e s t o implementation in 2015 and discuss mitigating measures for 2016 3. Describe best practices and success stories 4. Discuss Plans and define any

required shifts in programme priorities for 2016.

59 persons attended the workshop including NAPS programme staff, other key MOPH personnel who work along with the HIV programme, Regional Health Officers, Clinicians i n t h e Tre at m e nt P ro g ra m m e , Development Partners and Civil Society representatives. Presentations were made on the various subprogramme areas (Prevention related on Day 1 & Treatment related on day 2) covering the achievements in 2015, best practices, the constraints experienced, mitigating actions, and priorities for 2016 and beyond.

Participants noted the critical need to reduce the gap between key

populations reached and those tested for HIV and devising strategies to increase uptake of testing among Key populations and males as well. It was pointed out that greater efforts were needed in the distribution of condoms to reduce transmission of HIV. In relation to treatment, one of the priorities to ensure Guyanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attainment of the 90-90-90 targets by 2020 was scaling up HIV treatment through â&#x20AC;&#x153;Test and Offerâ&#x20AC;?. To support this, the reliable availability of tests including for early infant diagnosis, viral Load and CD4 were also placed on the list of priorities.

A full report is available on HIV Programme Overview and Planning Workshop, covering each presentation and the discussions ensuing.

HIV testing in the hinterland regions boostedMalaria Microscopists trained as testor counsellors In addressing the need to integrate HIV services within the primary health care services, the NAPS concluded on a training to certify an additional 30 persons as HIV testor counselors. The training conducted during the period of the 8-10th June 2016 is the final didactic stage of the multistage VCT training curriculum and focused on participants acquiring the technical skills of testing based on the recently adapted serial testing algorithm.

key driving force for the training.

In addition the certification of the malaria staff as HIV testor counselor will lead to strengthen integration and will result in cost efficiencies. To bolster the work in the hinterland regions, participants were also included from the Guyana Red Cross Organisation.

This training followed a one week training on the counseling aspect concluded in the last quarter of 2015.

Persons from the National Vector Control Programme and mainly malaria microscopists were trained and will provide HIV testing to the hinterland Regions of 1, 7, 8 and 9. The comparative advantage of the these persons in reaching the mining and logging and adjacent communities of the hinterland regions served as

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People living with HIV and AIDS certified as Peer Educators T h e N at i o n a l A I D S P ro g ra m m e S e c reta r i at , M i n i st r y o f P u b l i c Health, conducted an HIV/AIDS Peer Education Training for persons living with HIV. This was the first time the Peer Education training through the secretariat targeted persons living with HIV. The training was over a two day period: June 7th and 8th 2016 at the Regency Hotel. The objective of the training was to build the capacity of the leaders of the support groups to understand and discuss the basics of HIV. 14 leaders from the support groups of regions 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 10 who successfully participated in this training are now better equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge about HIV transmission, prevention, stigma & discrimination and knowing their medications.

They have been tasked with sharing this information with their peers at

their respective support groups. On July 1st 2016, in the boardroom of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat, the participants were presented with their certificates as peer educators. At the very simple function, Programme Manager, Dr. Shanti Singh addressing the newly certified peer educators, congratulated them on their achievement, encouraged them to share the information with members of their communities and to continue to be role models in the support groups and among their peers.

The participants expressed their appreciation for the training and reported that they have already commenced sharing of the information with their peers at support group.

The facilitators for this training were all from NAPS ; Mr. Nasimul Hussain- Senior Trainer, Dr. Shanti Singh Anthony-Programme Manager and Nafeza Ally â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Social Services Coordinator.

HIV Education- targeting the religious community In strategic targeting the religious community, the National AIDS Programme Secretariat held a two day HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination Peer Education Workshop for in and out of school youths on April 1 & 2 2016 in Region 6. This activity was done in collaboration with the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha in East Berbice and saw 24 in and out of school youths from various Corentyne Mandirs participating. This activity was held at the Balnevas Complex in Port Mourant.

The goal for this activity was to develop & implement targeted behaviour change interventions to increase positive sexual practices & encourage early STI/HIV diagnosis & treatment among most vulnerable

groups. The workshop also sought to sensitize the participants about the ABC of HIV/AIDS prevention, the importance of eradicating stigma and discrimination and endow them with peer education skills There was a one hour session which dealt with suicide and other mental health issues and this was ably done by a trained Pandit This is the second time the National AIDS Programme Secretariat is engaging this religious body to sensitize and train youths in religious settings to interact with their peers on the issues relating to HIV/AIDS and Stigma and Discrimination. The first time was in July 2015 when a similar workshop was held at the Ocean View Mandir in Region 3.

Guyana Participates in the Regional Day of Testing

G u ya n a j o i n s t h e C a r i b b e a n i n observing the Regional Day of HIV testing. An initiative started and led by the Caribbean Media Broadcasting Partnership in collaboration with Scotia Bank and the PAN Caribbean Partnership on HIV and AIDS saw Guyanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation from the very inception. This marks the 9th year of the Regional Day of HIV testing.

This year, testing was scheduled for Friday 24th June. The Secretariat in collaboration with Scotia Bank Guyana conducted testing during the period of June 24th- June 26th . Testing sites were set up in regions 3, 4, 6 and 7 outside of the traditional testing sites.

A total of 1,837 persons were tested and received their results.

TESTING SITES: 1. Scotia Bank, Parika, region 3 2. Scotia Bank , Carmichael Street, Region 4 3. Scotia Bank, Robb Street, Region 4 4. Demico House Car Park, Region 4 5. Merriman Mall, Region 4 6. Gift Land Mall- Region 4 7. City Mall,-Region 4 8. D and D Bar, Region 4 9. First Assemblies of God Church, Region 4 10. Seven Days Adventist church- Region 4 11. Scotia Bank, New Amsterdam, Region 6 12. Scotia Bank, Bartica, Region 7

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FAREWELL and THANK YOU YAYE KANNY DIALLO, UNAIDS STRATEGIC INFORMATION ADVISER, 2013 - 2016

STEPHANIE JOSEPH DE GOES, PEPFAR COODINATOR, 2014-2016

Dr. Diallo, as a member of the Guyana UNAIDS Team, has been responsible for supporting HIV and AIDS strategic information generation and dissemination in Guyana and Suriname from August 2013. She provided support to the UN agencies in Guyana and Suriname in application of the United Nations Joint Programme Monitoring System for HIV and AIDS.

Stephanie Joseph de Goes served as the United States Government PEPFAR Country Coordinator for Guyana from July 2014 – July 2016. She is an accomplished Behavioral Scientist, Public Health Analyst and Advisor with 10 years of experience directing the development and implementation of integrated public health programs across multidisciplinary areas. Her work in Guyana involved fostering closer collaboration among the US agencies involved in HIV programme.

She has also been a UN champion for “delivering as one”.

With her collaboration with the National AIDS Programmes in Guyana, she effectively supported the Public Health Ministry with the Global AIDS Response Progress reporting and generation of HIV Estimates and Projections, ensuring timely and complete reports that fed into the UNAIDS Global epidemic updates.

As an enthusiastic and integrated member of the Monitoring and Evaluation Reference Group (MERG), she contributed to survey reports such as the BBSS, MICS and NASA. Dr Diallo has also been deeply interested in strategic interventions on HIV and AIDS in Guyana advocating specifically for updating of ART guidelines as well as validation for elimination of Mother to Child Transmission. She worked very closely with G-Plus, supporting the launch of the Guyana Women and Girls Living with HIV initiative and also contributed to the development of the STI Operational Plan and the HIVision 2020 M&E Plan.

Dr. Yaye Diallo receiving a plaque of appreciation from Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, Ms. Fiona Persaud , National AIDS Programme Secretariat, Ministry of Public Health.

Her term as the PEPFAR Coordinator in Guyana coincided well with the strong focus of the HIV programme on maximizing services for Key Affected Populations. Stephanie played a crucial role in advocating for increased HIV testing among Key Populations and focusing on areas where the greatest yield can be ensured. Her advocacy for a “Treat All” policy for Guyana demonstrated her commitment to seeing the country achievement the 90-90-90 targets by 2020. Stephanie has worked with PEPFAR and country stakeholders in three countries on strategic direction, program planning, policies, procedures, and management and operations.

The Ministry of Public Health puts on record, its highest appreciation of Dr. Diallo’s and Ms Stephanie Joseph de Goes contributions to the National HIV response. We wish them both, all success in the future!

Ms. Stephanie Joseph De Goes receiving a plaque of appreciation from Dr. Karen Cummings, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health.

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