The Catholic Church in Guyana expanded its contribution to the care and support of those affected by HIV/AIDS when it opened, at the end of March, a step down hospice for people living with AIDS.

This facility is the first of its kind in Guyana. It will help meet the increasing need for clinical and social rehabilitative services for people recovering from serious illnesses as a result of their HIV infection. It will also provide end of life care.

The project is a collaborative effort between the US government’s President Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the St Vincent DePaul Society (SVP).

What used to be the David Rose Boys Hostel in Princess Street has been rehabilitated and converted to house the facility. Last December head of SVP, Winston Playter and Thibaut Williams, programme manager for CRS signed an agreement under which the CRS provided the funds for the repairs and conversion of the hostel.

The centre will house around 18 clients and only persons referred from treatment sites recognised by the National AIDS Programme Secretariat and who meet the eligibility criteria will be admitted to the centre.

Roman Catholic bishop, Francis Alleyne, who said prayers and blessed the centre prayed that those who will reside in the centre would find hope and peace.

US Ambassador, David Robinson said it was a privileged and humbling experience to be present at the opening. As titular head of the PEPFAR programme he said he has been able to come in contact with people with an enormous level of expertise and knowledge and who lift the performance and expectations of people they come into contact with.

“When I look at you what I see is a ray of light that really beams into what would otherwise be a very dark shroud of HIV and AIDS”, Ambassador Robinson said.

Health Minister Leslie Ramsammy described the opening of the centre as a “giant leap not just in providing a comprehensive AIDS response but a giant leap in our development as a country.”

He noted that the facility caters for only 20 persons and that there are many more who need help. Therefore the centre must only be the beginning of what will be done, the minister said. He described PEPFAR and the Global Fund as vital parts of the global response to AIDS and thanked the US people and government for it.

However, even with all of the resources available partnerships are vitally important to the success of the programmes, the minister said, noting that the religious groups, many of which were not involved in the fight against AIDS in the early years have now become a critical part of the response to AIDS.
“I believe that unless we have the faith-based part, the partnership will be weak. Today in Guyana the faith-based part will be strengthened every day.”

The minister went on to explain that the churches had a key role to play not only in educating people. “The social vaccine that we need in the fight against AIDS is more possible because of the leadership roles of faith-based organisations.

We need the Church if we are going to have success against HIV and many other issues. There are areas in which the Church has strengths that others do not have, Minister Ramsammy said.
(Catholic Standard)