Caribbean countries are being urged to enable self funding of  HIV/AIDS programmes.

The appeal was made by Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAID Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean Dr. Richard Amenyah.

This in the wake of a survey, which revealed that 80 percent of HIV service organizations in the Caribbean, face severe disruptions, threatening decades of progress in the region.

The disruptions are due to the funding pause announced by the United States government, in January.

The Donald Trump administration, in announcing the USA’s leave from the World Health Organisation (WHO) earlier this year, also froze new funds for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR and other aid programmes.

This caused an immediate stop to HIV treatment, testing and prevention services in 50 countries.

Jamaica is among the Caribbean countries supported by PEPFAR.

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton told Irie FM News in February that there is no plan to halt programmes funded by PEPFAR.

He said resources allocated under the programme have not been depleted and as a result, the initiatives continue.

UNAIDS said yesterday that  the disruptions to the programmes have negatively affected HIV prevention and testing services, critical for maintaining the region’s progress toward ending aids.

Speaking at a regional dissemination meeting about  building sustainable HIV responses, in times of funding uncertainty, Dr. Amenyah said the disruptions should serve as a wake up call to Caribbean states.