August 2nd, 2006 Florida Secretary Of Health Dr. M. Rony Francois Tours The Bahamas HIV/AIDS CenterFlorida Secretary of Health, Dr. M. Rony Francois headed a three-member delegation to The Bahamas July 25-26 for consultations with Bahamian health care professionals in an effort to promote better communication between health officials in The Bahamas and Florida. The team including Ms. Lillian Rivers, Administrator, Miami Dade Health Department and Mr. Dock Kokol, Communication Director, Florida Department of Health visited the HIV/AIDS on July 26. Director of The Bahamas National HIV/AIDS Program gave the team an in-depth briefing about HIV/AIDS and the pandemic in The Bahamas and a tour of the facility. Describing the HIV/AIDS Center as impressive, Dr. Francois commended the Center for its coordinated system of care for AIDS patients in The Bahamas. Dr. Gomez presented Dr. Francois with, The Good News, a document explaining The Bahamas national plan for HIV/AIDS. The Good News shows the scaling up of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support services in The Bahamas. The National HIV/AIDS Program in The Bahamas has focused efforts on HIV/AIDS information, education and communication to prevent HIV infections and to reduce stigma and discrimination. The National HIV/AIDS Program has been monitoring HIV/AIDS in The Bahamas since 1983 when the first clinical case of AIDS was identified.
The visit, initiated by United States Ambassador John Rood was coordinated by the U.S. Embassy.
|