Regional AIDS/STD strategy gets the thumbs up

Focus

Developing a strategy, checking on roles and responsibilities, and plan ning for support and spe cific programmes are part of a regional HIV/AIDS strategy, which will be pre sented to a regional meeting of Heads of Ministries in Palau later this year.

The comprehensive three year strategy to help prevent and control the spread of STDs and AIDS in the region received the thumbs up from senior workers and deci sion makers at the recent First Pacific Regional HIV/AIDS and STDs Conference.

The 37-page document, first released in 1997 went before a review session with many present saying it was a comprehen sive and useful reference guide for safe sex educators, project planners, and donor agencies.

The question of whether the strategy should be reviewed this year or wait another 18 months was put to the meeting,

which agreed that work for the review next year could begin now.

A key focus of the strategy is a five point plan for approaches to tackle HIV/AIDS prevention - education and prevention, treatment and care, surveil lance, safe blood supply, and legal/ethical issues.

Amongst the current concerns likely to surface in the revised strategy are a sepa rate section on capacity building for Non Governmental Organisations and how to deal with the complex issue of confiden

tiality in Pacific Islands communities.

Also on the drawing board, a guiding frame for dealing with the many different agencies able to assist with HIV/AIDS and STD education which was left out of the current strategy.

Issues of mother to child transmission have also taken on a rising importance because of their economic and budgetary implications, and some advocacy workers would like to see more of a ‘Pacific-spe cific’ framework for dealing with

Hiv/Aids. ■