An HIV and AIDS Situational Assessment: Barriers to Access to Services for Vulnerable Populations in Saint Kitts and Nevis

Author(s): MEASURE Evaluation

Year: 2007

Abstract:

The Ministry of Health in Saint Kitts and Nevis are planning to undertake the revision of its current strategy plan. A key step in this process is the implementation of “Situational Assessment,” which provides the opportunity for examining and using current data sources, to access the current socio-cultural contexts for key stakeholders and community members in relationship to HIV and AIDS, and to provide recommendations to strengthen strategic planning, and therefore the national response to HIV and AIDS. <p>This year, MEASURE Evaluation and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance worked to support Saint Kitts and Nevis in implementing the Situational Assessment presented here. It was proposed that MEASURE Evaluation support this gap in data on vulnerable populations by conducting the assessment and with approval from the Permanent Secretary in December; implementation began in January 2007.<p> The goal of the assessment was to understand the vulnerability of certain groups to HIV and AIDS infection, the community barriers to accessing HIV-specific services, and recommendations for addressing those barriers. This assessment also seeks to understand how service providers—namely clinical—and governmental/non-governmental organisation (NGO) persons understand who might be vulnerable to HIV, and obtain their insight in implementing services targeting these populations.<p> The information provided in this report should be not be used in a vacuum to inform strategic planning and community programming efforts in Saint Kitts and Nevis; rather what is presented here can be used in collaboration with most current and available data sources.