While there are some good practices in relation to the local response to the AIDS epidemic, there are yet some existing weaknesses. This state of affairs was highlighted during a recent national dialogue on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the law.The forum, which was held at the Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, Arthur Chung Convention Centre, spanned the period October 13 – 14, 2016.Approximately 35 people representing different Government sectors,Cheap Jerseys 2018, including Public Health,Wholesale China Jerseys, Education, Social Protection, Legal Affairs, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and Public Security, and civil society organisations and individuals participated in the dialogue, which was also observed by several international development partners.Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, who opened the National Dialogue,Wholesale China Jerseys, stated that while “Guyana has achieved laudable milestones in response to the AIDS epidemic…notable challenges also remain. We have to address stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV or AIDS and against key populations; we need to provide wider access in the hinterland regions,Jerseys Authentic Stitched, and continue to scale-up access to treatment and retention of patients in care,” the Minister related.This National Dialogue, the third of its kind in the Caribbean, was supported by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).The town hall style meeting was moderated by Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus.The dialogue reviewed good practices as well as weaknesses within the legal framework that hamper the comprehensive response to the AIDS epidemic. Cases related to a number of themes were reviewed.These included violence against women/gender-based violence, children and adolescents in residential homes/orphanages, people with disabilities, indigenous populations, sexual orientation and gender identity, sex work,Cheap Air Jordan Shoes, prisons and detention centres and discrimination in social and health services.United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms. Mikiko Tanaka, said, “In order to ensure that Guyana reaches its Fast Track Targets to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, we will have to remain vigilant and address the challenges of stigma and discrimination and ensure that all the citizens of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana have access to comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment Programmes.”The format of the National Dialogue allowed the different actors who were part of the conversation to develop concrete and actionable recommendations for a more enabling legal environment to address the social, cultural and economic determinants of HIV.Some of the recommendations included calls for strengthened collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health and other Government ministries; establishment of the Human Rights Commission to receive complaints and investigate human rights violations; review of the manner of provision of HIV services in prisons to ensure patient confidentiality and encourage testing and treatment and culturally appropriate HIV public health interventions in Indigenous communities.The UNAIDS Country Director,Nike Roshe Run For Cheap, Dr. Martin Odiit, thanked Government and civil society for their active participation in the National Dialogue which, he said, is a demonstration of their commitment to fast tracking the AIDS response so as to achieve the SDG target of ending AIDS by 2030.The National Dialogue on HIV and the Law was described as a unique opportunity for Guyanese civil society to present their experiences related to HIV and the law, including suggestions on policies, day-to-day practices and the legal framework as a whole.It therefore allowed for interaction between those most affected by HIV and the persons with the capacity to make and implement decisions to respond to the issues presented.Part of Guyana’s achievements in terms of HIV is that more than 4, 500 people are accessing antiretroviral treatment in 22 health centres countrywide. This, along with a noticeable reduction of mother to child transmission, has been listed among the significant advances Guyana has made in dealing with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).Nonetheless populations at higher risk of HIV infection are still confronting several obstacles that limit their ability to access comprehensive health and social services.