Distribution of hygiene packs to People Living with HIV

The donation was made by Dr. Laurent Musango, WHO Representative, on behalf of HE Mrs. Christine N. Umutoni, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles, during the opening ceremony of a new health centre dedicated to HIV healthcare by PILS on 1st December 2020, in the presence of HE Mrs Florence Caussé-Tissier, French Ambassador and HE Mr. David Dale Reimer, U.S Ambassador.

The distribution of “hygiene packs” to PLHIV in the Eastern and Southern African (ESA) region, including Mauritius, is the result of a collaboration between UNAIDS and a multinational consumer goods company. The packs consist of a supply of soap and surface cleaner, which have been distributed in ESA countries through UNAIDS Country Offices and networks of people living with HIV as part of efforts to reduce exposure to the impact of COVID-19 among people living with HIV.

The ESA region has the biggest burden of HIV globally, with 20.6 million people living with HIV in 2018. While countries in the ESA region are currently relatively unaffected by COVID-19, it is critical to take bold and unprecedented steps to curtail the spread of the virus now, due to fragile health systems and extreme socio-economic inequalities.

UNAIDS encourages people living with HIV to take precautions to reduce exposure to COVID-19. This includes following World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines of washing and/or sanitizing hands, practicing social distancing, and seeking health care if one is ill.