DR. KEVIN HARVEY APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF CCNAPC

January 25, 2008 (MOH&E):

Dr. Kevin Harvey, Senior Medical Officer in the National HIV/STI Control Programme of the Ministry of Health & Environment has been appointed Chairman of the Caribbean Coalition of National AIDS Programme Coordinators (CCNAPC).

The appointment, which makes Dr. Harvey the fourth Chairman and first Jamaican to attain this position, took place at the 6th Annual General Meeting of the CCNAPC held in St. Thomas, USVI. November 2007. Jamaica has before held the position of chairman when Trinidadian born Dr. Yitades Gebre, then Senior Medical Officer in the National HIV/STI Control Programme, was chairman over the period 1999 to 2004.

“I feel honoured but I also feel it will be a lot of work. The organization has lost some of its prominence over the years and needs rebuilding and refocusing, so it is going to be a challenge that we will have to embrace. I am confident in the members who I know are committed and continue to do a lot of individual work in their respective countries. Together we can make it happen” Dr. Harvey said.

Dr. Harvey has also been appointed the representative of the Greater Antilles on the Executive Board. Both appointments took effect on January 1, 2008, and will remain in place for a period of two years.

CCNAPC was introduced in 1999. It is a peer-based organization, committed to improving the quality of the National AIDS Programmes (NAPs) and to supporting member Caribbean nations to reduce and mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in the region.

It is an active member of the Pan-Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS and is endorsed by the CARICOM head of state for its vision, mission and objectives, which is primarily to strengthen the national leadership for HIV/AIDS programmes. Membership of the organization is open to all programme coordinators, directors and managers in Caribbean territories.