As the COVID-19 pandemic scales across Zimbabwe, there were numerous calls from global partners, including the United Nations Secretary-General, for the expanded use of tele-health and innovative technology solutions to limit congestion in health care systems and the adverse effects of potential disruptions to health care caused by lockdowns.
UNAIDS has embarked on a project to support communities in Kenya during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project has a two-pronged approach to provide short-term, urgent assistance and long-term, structural interventions to empower communities to respond to the immediate and extended impacts of COVID-19.
In Rwanda, restricted movement during the COVID-19-related lockdown has affected population groups differently, particularly sex workers, members of the LGBTI community, and households that survive on a daily income.
Edwin Opwora, a UN Volunteer with UNAIDS in Kenya, is part of the COVID-19 UN team embedded with the Kenyan government. He is based at the office of the government spokesperson, and tasked with collecting and disseminating timely, accurate and reliable information on COVID-19.
The Government of Kenya in partnership with Faith-based organizations and UNAIDS has produced a booklet for religious leaders in response to COVID-19.
The COVID-19 outbreak has been placing unprecedented strains on sophisticated health systems in Europe and Asia, with overstretched medical staff struggling to treat their patients and intensive care facilities overwhelmed in rich countries.
The UNAIDS China Office and the UNAIDS Kenya office, in collaboration with WeDoctor—a Chinese medical service platform—held an online session with more than 70 doctors from Kenya to share China’s experience responding to COVID-19.
In March 2020, a stock-taking exercise led by UNAIDS, UNICEF and UNFPA, together with the Ministry of Health and Wellness of Botswana and the Central Medical Stores, assessed the availability of antiretroviral medicines, condoms and other contraceptives in the country in anticipation of the COVID-19 restrictions.
The First Lady of Botswana and UNAIDS special ambassador for the empowerment and engagement of young people in Botswana, Neo Masisi, has partnered with UNAIDS, young people and people living with HIV to produce a series of videos on COVID-19. The videos have been broadcast on Botswana national television.
In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the struggle for those who are already marginalized and vulnerable. In densely populated areas and informal settlements, where many of the cities’ people who use drugs reside, social distancing is difficult and running water and sanitation infrastructure is sparse.
To respond to the challenges that the lockdown has caused for people living with HIV, UNAIDS provided financial and technical support to the Rwanda Network of People Living with HIV (RRP+) to establish a toll-free call centre. The purpose of the call centre is to share information about lockdown regulations and available HIV services in real time, at no cost.
As COVID-19 cases in Africa continue to rise, there is an increasing demand from African countries for information sharing to better prepare for the outbreak of the virus.
In Kenya, UNAIDS and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) brought together representatives of civil society organizations from the people living with HIV, women’s and human rights sectors to discuss their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The restrictions imposed in Namibia in response to COVID-19 meant that thousands of informal traders, who sell prepared food and fresh fruit and vegetables at markets, lost their livelihoods.