By Shermain Bique
Antigua & Barbuda is among six Caribbean islands to benefit from an Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Multi-country Global Fund Project to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The sub-regional group received US $5.3 million which is to be spent over a three-year period to address the issue of HIV/AIDS as well as tuberculosis within the OECS.
AIDS Programme Manager Delcora Williams said although Antigua & Barbuda is classified as a high income country, thus lessening its chances to qualify for global funding, the twin island state will still be able to access the funds.
“The OECS received $5.3 million, which we are supposed to use and carry out our activities. So the OECS Commission is here to assess the ministry and our organisation to ensure that we are ready and able to carry out our activities,” Williams said.
Williams said a meeting at the Inland Revenue Conference Room on Monday and Tuesday marked the second occasion that the twin island state has received such a huge financial boost from the Global Fund.
“This is the second time Antigua has received global funding. We got financial backing in 2005 which lasted until 2010 and so now we are going into a new phase of funding and this one is slated to last for only three years,” the AIDS programme manager stated.(The Daily Observer)
