Congratulations to the eighteen (18) members appointed to serve in the 3rd Term of the National AIDS Coordinating Committee (NACC) for the period 2021-2023. The newly installed committee members, who were selected from Public, Private and Civil Society Organisations inclusive of the People Living with HIV (PLHIV) Community, received their instruments of appointment on September 13, 2021 and participated in the first committee meeting on September 15, 2021.
The NACC coordinates the country’s national response to HIV and AIDS and supports the collaborative effort of all implementing bodies to achieve epidemic control of the disease as part of the global effort to End AIDS by 2030. Key responsibilities of members of the NACC include:
- building and deepening multi-sectorial partnership (public, private, non-government) to achieve national commitment, support and ownership of the response to HIV and AIDS;
- coordinating, supporting and guiding the activities pursuant to the reduction of the population’s susceptibility to HIV and AIDS;
- monitoring and evaluating the implementation and attainment of national goals, objectives and targets with respect to HIV and AIDS as identified in the National Strategic Plan; and
- championing and accelerating the legislative agenda required to support HIV and AIDS responses, programmes and plans.
The NACC is charged with creatively transforming and empowering the national community to continue the fight against HIV and AIDS. In the new normal brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the NACC will be searching for new opportunities and avenues to strategize the national response to support the varied needs of PLHIV and at-risk key populations.
At the installation proceedings, I expressed my gratitude to the previous committees for their commitment and contributions, and urged the new committee to continue with NACC’s mission by building on the legacy of their predecessors. I also reminded the new committee that despite the challenges that may arise they can prevail once they realize that “the strength of the team is in each member and the strength of each member is in the team.”
As a nation, let us support the new committee in strengthening the national response to HIV and AIDS, as we prepare for the 95-95-95 targets for 2025 which is the next level on the roadmap to #EndAIDSBy2030TT.
The following are the newly appointed members of the National AIDS Coordinating Committee:
Names
1 Mr. Steve Barras
2 Ms. Olivia Constantine
3 Ms. Cheyvonne Cyrus-Williams
4 Ms. Maria Cruikshank-Gibbs
5 Dr. Godson Eze
6 Dr. Kale Ferguson
7 Mr. Dmytrii Fraser
8 Ms. Kimberly Gilbert
9 Ms. Nicole S. Hendrickson
10 Ms. Ingrid Marcellin-Wiseman
11 Pundit Mukram Lloyd Sirjoo
12 Mr. Eswick Padmore
13 Ms. Jacqueline Reid
14 Ms. Delores Robinson
15 Ms. Heather Rodney
16 Ms. Yolanda Y. Simon
17 Ms. Mechelle Timothy
18 Ms. Diana Weekes
