THE functionality of the new partnership framework between the Health Ministry and the United States’ President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) “must be” supportive to the National HIV/AIDS response. This assertion was made on Thursday by Dr. Kathleen Israel, Country Representative for the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO.

She and other stakeholders in the fight against the global epidemic gathered for a one day workshop, at the Pegasus Hotel, to make public and address the development of a ‘Partnership for sustainability in the fight against HIV/AIDS’.

Speaking on behalf of the United Nations (UN) agencies in Guyana, Israel said, “The UN has recognised that the government of Guyana has assumed primary responsibility for the national response to HIV/AIDS in terms of management, strategic direction, performance monitoring, decision making, coordination and service delivery.”

Against this premise the PAHO/WHO Country Representative explained that the PEPFAR partnership framework in Guyana, along with other partnership arrangements, must function as a supporting framework to national efforts.

“We must strive for stronger partnerships,” Israel said, “In our efforts to sustain the fight against HIV/AIDS in Guyana.”

According to her Guyana through the Ministry of Health has, over the years, taken ownership and provided strong leadership for the coordinated response to HIV/AIDS in the country.

“We (the UN agencies in Guyana) welcome this partnership initiative especially since it embraces the UN philosophy of building strategic alliances and partnerships as reflected in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” Israel said.

These frameworks, she noted, responds to country specific needs.  The guiding strategic framework operating in Guyana at present is the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF).

UNDAF is the planning framework for the development operations of the UN system at country level. It consists of common objectives and strategies of co-operation, programme resources framework and proposals for follow-up, monitoring and evaluation. The UNDAF gives renewed impetus to the role of development operations in advancing the core missions of the UN system and promoting the vision and principles of the UN Charter. To this end, it aims for greater impact of UN system co-operation on development and well-being of the people.

Dr. Israel pointed out that Guyana is in the process for implementing of its second UNDAF which covers the period 2006 to 2012. The drafting of the third UNDAF, she added, is being addressed.

Relative to HIV/AIDS, the particular focus of the Health Ministry and PEPFAR Project, Israel observed that the second UNDAF address the said in the areas of poverty reduction,improvement in health and education, sanitation and institutional strengthening.

Reflecting of the step being taken, she said, “Partnerships are critical for the achievement of these objectives.”

Israel made clear that the partnerships between the PEPFAR Project and the Guyana Government have highlighted “a great deal of synergies” with the UN systems.

To this end, she reiterated that moves to bolster local efforts to enhance the national response to HIV/AIDS must be done in supportive framework.

Dr. Okey Nwanyanmu, United Stated Office of Global AIDS Coordinator who addressed the gathering on PEPFAR’s strategic direction, acknowledged this and affirmed that a strategic agenda supporting the country’s national response will be the focus.

“The partnership framework does not replace the national programme. The framework simply complements the efforts,” he asserted.

Nwanyanmu explained that the development of the partnership framework is the beginning of a process that will see the United States, through PEPFAR, assisting the well being of the Guyanese people.

He observed that the first five years of effort PEPFAR was in an emergency mode. However, Nwanyanmu posited that this is no longer the case and the next five years call for emphasis on a transition to a more sustainable phase.

The AIDS Coordinator said, “While continuing to provide quality HIV/AIDS service we will try to focus on systems strengthening and local capacity building…With the partnership framework we will be looking at a more lasting relationship with the Government of Guyana.”

Against this premise, he urged the participants of the workshop to work towards “shaping the assistance” that Guyana will receive.

“Guyana and the rest of the world, in the last five years, achieved impressive results in preventing, treating and providing care for people affected and infected,” Nwanyanmu said.

According to the Health Ministry this undertaking in the fourth strategy being developed to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country.

The first was in 1999 and ended in 2001. The second is from 2002 to 2006 and the third is from 2007 and will end in 2011.