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IOM supports UNAIDS ‘Right to Health’ campaign in South Sudan

Oct 1, 2018
IOM supports UNAIDS ‘Right to Health’ campaign in South Sudan

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Earlier this month, UNAIDS launched the ‘Right to Health’ campaign on HIV testing and treatment for uniformed forces in Jonglei, South Sudan. Already supporting this group to know their status and access HIV/AIDS treatment, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a key operational partner in the campaign.

Five years of conflict in South Sudan has massively halted the development of the young country’s health system. Access to services has been interrupted for those who had been lucky enough to receive them in the first place. Due to lack of information on HIV in the country, the stigma against those who test positive is high.

The joint UN campaign is carried out in coordination with the Government of South Sudan, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior and the South Sudan AIDS Commission (SSAC).

The campaign targets 100,000 people in the South Sudanese armed and uniformed forces and Ministry of Interior – which includes the military, police and prisons, fire brigade and wildlife services – as well as their families and communities living near military barracks in Jonglei.

IOM kicked off the campaign in Bor, Jonglei, supporting outreach teams from within the uniformed forces and Ministry of Health. Jointly trained by the Ministry of Health, WHO and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) HIV Department, these teams will set up temporary voluntary and counseling sites throughout Jonglei.

“The ‘Right to Health’ campaign will support the Government of South Sudan in reaching uniformed forces and ensure that they get to know their HIV status and can access treatment, if positive,” said Salma Taher, IOM South Sudan Project Officer, Migration Health Unit. 

IOM’s support to the ‘Right to Health’ campaign is currently funded through the UNAIDS Unified Budget Review and Accountability Framework (UBRAF) and the Organization’s wider work in HIV and AIDS sensitization, testing and treatment is also funded by the UNDP as the Principal Recipient of the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculous and Malaria.

Original source: IOM
Published on 28 September 2018