Guyana APC Event Generates Publicity

As JSI’s Advancing Partners and Communities project comes to a close in Guyana, the end-of-project celebration, which transitioned project activities to the Guyanan government, both Stabroek News and NCN News highlighted the event. Advancing Partners supported local NGOs in Guyana as they worked to reduce HIV transmission and the subsequent effects in local communities. Spanning almost seven-years, the project helped reach and test more than 30,000 for HIV (of that number, 424 were diagnosed as positive).

APC provided technical assistance to improve the structures and operation framework of grantees, enhancing the efficiency of service delivery and strengthening partnerships among all stakeholders. APC’s scope of activities focused on the development and implementation of guidelines and standard operating procedures for prevention of sexually transmitted infections, HIV testing and counseling, home-based care services, and services for orphans and vulnerable children, and positive health for persons living with HIV programs, as well as financial management systems coupled with support to national priorities such as mental health, mobile health services, stigma, discrimination, and gender-based violence and bidirectional referrals.

With a focus on key affected populations in the regions most highly affected by HIV, the project strengthened the partnership between NGOs and the government to expand services, thus ensuring sustainability on the journey to self-reliance. The project’s focus on supporting local organizations and facilitating community-based testing left an impact on the communities served as well as the Ministry of Public Health. At the July 26th event, the AIDS Programme Secretariat commented that “APC will be in Guyana’s health system long after they have gone.”

Learn more about APC’s work in Guyana, and watch four animated HIV prevention public service announcements.