15 th Meeting of the Regional Coordinating Mechanism of PANCAP; Montego Bay , Jamaica

1. 15th Meeting of the Regional Coordinating Mechanism of PANCAP; Montego Bay , Jamaica 9-10th September, 2010 ANALYSIS OF NATIONAL HIV AND AIDS STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

2. Background The Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF) envisages that its vision and goals are to be achieved by facilitating : country driven processes which are guided by their National Strategic Plans (NSP) . policies at country level which are based on the guiding principles and strategic approaches of the CRSF. To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

3. Background The PANCAP Coordinating Unit (PCU) began a review in October, 2009 of PANCAP Member countries (PMC) with a view of: • assessing the status of NSPs • assessing their alignment with the goals and objectives of the CRSF To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

4. Priority Areas • An enabling environment that fosters universal access to HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support services; • An expanded and coordinated intersectoral response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic; • Prevention of HIV transmission; • Treatment, care, and support; • Capacity development for HIV/AIDS services; and • Monitoring, evaluation and research To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

5. Methodology • Collection of existing NSPs from PMCs along with other supporting documents such as monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plans and operational plans • A Desk Review of existing plans to evaluate alignment with the six (6) Priority Areas of the CRSF. • In-Country team visits To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

6. Status of NSPs in PANCAP Member Countries To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

7. Key findings • There was a response rate of 58%. (18 countries responded) • Of the 18 responding countries 11 had completed plans, 7 were in development • 28% (5)had M&E plans to monitor the progress of their NSPs in keeping with the Three ones concept • 39% (7)had a costing for implementation of activities • 33% (6) had a completed implementation/operational plan To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

8. Key findings Countries requiring assistance for completion of NSP process: • Antigua and Barbuda • Commonwealth of Dominica • Grenada To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

9. Review of existing National Strategic Plans Key Findings • Countries with NSPs completed before the completion of the CRSF in 2008, did not have plans that were in full alignment with existingCRSF’s objectives, but do capture the strategic directions of the CRSF. • Priority areas of Treatment, Care and Support and Prevention were clearly outlined in all plans and there was also alignment in general with the Strategic Objectives for National Level Response. To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

10. Review of existing National Strategic PlansKey Findings • For CRSF Priority Areas : enabling environment, multisectoral response, M & E and Capacity Building - the majority of the countries did not align their programmatic response neatly under these headings. Notwithstanding this, many activities within the NSPs were in alignment with the Strategic Objectives for the National HIV Response in these priority areas . • Example: Capacity building was a cross cutting theme in all priority areas outlined in the NSPs and was not isolated under one priority area as in the CRSF. • Overall: If NSPs are resourced and supported, countriesshould meet the goals and objectives of the CRSF. To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

11. In Country Team VisitsObjectives • Identify challenges being encountered with respect to development of the NSP; • Identify needs and gaps in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the NSP; • Ascertain adequacy and sources of funding for implementation of the NSP with a view towards informing the resource mobilization efforts of PANCAP for country programmes; • Identify the technical assistance and training needs; • Foster improved communication between PCU and national programmes To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

12. Preliminary Findings Analysis is currently underway and should be completed for review by PACC: • Gaps in the development and/or documentation of policies and protocols at national and institutional level. The need for resources and tools for policy development and strengthening or updating existing policies consistent with strategic priorities or state of the art approaches. • Gaps existed in initiatives to achieve strategic objectives around stigma and discrimination. The need for tool kits targeted at vulnerable groups and supportive resources and strategies for reducing or eliminating institutionalized stigma and discrimination were identified. To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

13. Preliminary Findings • Standards of care varied greatly across territories as both a function of gaps in health sector management and variances in professional delivery of treatment by medical and nursing professionals. Health system reform and strengthening emerged as a priority area for resource mobilization. • All territories placed high priority on the integration and decentralization of HIV care but sought assistance for reengineering institutions and processes at the primary care level, supportive policy development, quality control and monitoring and evaluation. To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

14. Key Findings • Prevention strategies were pursued in many territories but gaps existed in the capacity to evaluate the efficacy of approaches. • Improving access to and the use of available strategic information for multi-sectoral programme planning. • Countries with higher level of in-country technical expertise sought to leverage available skills by requesting in-country training and knowledge transfer rather than the use of externally based consultants or one off regional workshops. To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

15. ACTION REQUIRED The meeting is invited to: • Note the status of the National Strategic Planning Processes and their level of alignment with the CRSF; • Advise on any specific measures that may be taken to strengthen the nexus between national and regional strategic planning and implementation processes. To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

16. Thank you To provide creative and dynamic services to PANCAP to enhance the regional response to HIV and AIDS

17. Questions?