Online map of NGOs fighting COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS
An online-map has been created to show NGOs fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and HIV/AIDS
18.05.2020
“Remember and Act – in your power”, a regional online-initiative, has created an interactive map showing the history of the response to the pandemics COVID-19 and HIV / AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia for World Day Remembrance for people who died of AIDS, on 17 May.
News of this work has been shared by the Novosibirsk resource centre “Humanitarian project”, the Chelyabinsk Foundation “Source of hope”, the Yekaterinburg Foundation “New life” and other Russian organisations.
Any public organisation working with HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 issues can add themselves to the map. To do this, they need to fill in the “Share your story” field.
The role of NGOs in fighting the pandemic
The regional online initiative “Remember and act – in your power” was jointly created by the Public Health Alliance, the Regional Office of UNAIDS (joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS) for EECA (Eastern Europe and Asia) and the Central Asian Association of PLHIV (people living with HIV).
Alexander Goliusov, UNAIDS regional Director for EECA countries, noted that almost 40 years of experience in fighting HIV infection has shown that public organisations and communities of people living with HIV, play a crucial role in countering the epidemic.
Mr Goliusov went on to say “Today, it has become clear that the role of community organisations in emergency situations increases many times. Governments in our region should recognise these organisations as their primary partner and service provider for the response to both HIV and COVID-19”.
Andrei Klepikov, Executive Director of the Public Health Alliance, stressed that EECA’s experience in fighting coronavirus has shown the importance of investing in civil society. He went on to say that “communities and non-governmental organisations have not only come to the forefront of the fight against the new threat, but also in cooperation with doctors and the state have continued to address the issues of providing services for HIV and tuberculosis”.
