TO JOINTLY EMPOWER COMMUNITIES TO LEAD HIV CAMPAIGN AND RESPONSE.
Monrovia, Liberia – Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director of the World Health Organisation for Africa, has issued a clarion call to governments, development partners, civil society, and all other stakeholders to work together to empower communities to take the lead in the HIV response.
Dr. Moeti cautioned the major players to recommit to giving communities the assistance and autonomy they require to thrive in her official remark made during the World AIDS Day 2023 celebration over the weekend under the theme, “Let Communities Lead.”
“Let us walk hand in hand with communities and foster an environment where they can indeed lead to an AIDS-free world.”
The health expert emphasised that it is important to acknowledge the diversity of HIV-affected communities and make sure that specific interventions are put in place to meet the needs of key populations, including young and adolescent girls, transgender people, sex workers, and injecting drug users.
The importance of community-led monitoring in strengthening HIV-related community leadership was also stressed by the WHO Regional Director for Africa. Dr. Moeti pointed out that it’s critical to understand that effective community leadership entails providing communities with the resources and know-how to track their progress and hold decision-makers responsible. She said that good community leadership extends beyond campaigning and activism.
“A strong mechanism has been community-led monitoring.” It enables communities to keep an eye on and assess HIV policies, programmes, and services that have an immediate impact on their lives. It also assists in identifying instances of discrimination, stigma, and human rights abuses in healthcare settings, enabling timely interventions and solutions.
To reach people who run the danger of falling behind, she called on governments, civic society, development partners, and all other stakeholders to place a high priority on innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable policies. Dr. Moeti calls on all important actors to listen more to communities, recognise their competence, and include them in decision-making at all levels to enable communities take the lead.
“We must build bridges between communities, governments, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders to foster partnerships based on trust, solidarity, and shared responsibility. I recognise the tremendous strides made in lowering the number of new infections and deaths from AIDS. I particularly applaud the advances made in expanding treatment accessibility, particularly the notable advancements brought about by the development of novel medications, the uptake of cutting-edge technologies, and the fight against stigma.”
Simultaneously, Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti emphasised that communities play a crucial role in highlighting community resilience, competence, and, most all, unshakable commitment to their shared aim of eliminating AIDS as a threat to public health by 2030.
She stated that communities affected by HIV, including those living with the virus, families, friends, and activists, have always been at the forefront of the response, and that these communities’ leadership has been crucial to the incredible milestones in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
She underlined that in order for the African area to meet the 2030 and 2025 global targets, governments, civil society, development partners, and other stakeholders must keep fostering an atmosphere that empowers local people to take the lead in the HIV response.
Reported by: Blamo N. Toe
Contact: +231775963245/+231880320363
Email: blamotoe93@gmail.com
