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.
Furthermore, people with possible non-communicable diseases were identified through the call line, referred to the nearest health facility and followed up by peer educators or service providers within the catchment area.
By the end of May 2020, the call centre had received 123 calls. Most callers were people living with HIV and peer educators, while a significant number of calls were also received from young people, female sex workers and gay men and other men who have sex with men.
“UNAIDS is pleased to support this innovative community-led approach for monitoring of community needs and efforts to respond to the prevailing challenges, with home grown solutions,” said Betru Woldesemayat, UNAIDS Country Director in Rwanda during a recent visit to the call centre.
The main inquiries to the call centre were about lack of access to HIV treatment and food. Other callers requested information about RRP+’s interventions during COVID-19 and 2% of calls were related to violence against women and children.
Through the call centre, RRP+ has identified areas of ongoing advocacy, including lack of food support, lack of masks and hygiene kits to prevent COVID-19 and supporting people living with HIV who are currently out of the country with no access to medicines. Furthermore, youth groups are no longer receiving monthly fees and incentives to provide peer support and mobilize young people to access HIV services. UNAIDS is working RRP+ to follow up on these issues.
