More Support for National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan

Jamaica’s National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan has been boosted by a $108 million allocation in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives.
The project, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Health, seeks to assist the Government of Jamaica in curbing the spread of the HIV epidemic; improve treatment, care, and support for persons living with HIV/AIDS; and strengthening Jamaica’s capacity to respond to the epidemic.
Jointly funded by the Government and the World Bank, the project commenced in June, 2008, and has met several targets up to February this year. These include: completion of a National AIDS Policy, review of a legislative HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy, completion of a draft monitoring and evaluation framework, adoption of a draft National Occupational and Safety Act in schools, improvements in the diagnostics capacity at the National Public Health Laboratory and regional laboratories.
Targets for the current fiscal year include: improving the diagnostics capacity; maintenance of HIV testing of 90 per cent of antenatal clinic attendees in the public sector; and the provision of antiretroviral medication for prevention of mother to child transmission to 85 per cent of HIV infected pregnant women and, at least, 90 per cent of HIV exposed infants.