Yoo (Ban) Soon-taek, the wife of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, visited the clinic for children living with HIV at the Republican Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, on 16 June and met with women affected by HIV. During her visit, Ms Ban was familiarized with how the clinic helps children living with HIV with medical and psychological problems.

Ms Ban was deeply moved by the special care provided to the children at the HIV clinic. She learned that more than 300 abandoned children living with HIV had been adopted over the years. Yevgeny Voronin, the hospital’s chief physician, shared the story of a girl who was preparing to leave after 13 years.

The Director of the Women’s and Children’s Health Department at the Ministry of Health, Yelena Baibarina, stated during the meeting with Ms Ban that the Russian Federation had significantly reduced mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Ms Baibarina also stressed that it was important for the Ministry of Health to collaborate with nongovernmental organizations representing people affected by HIV.

Maria Godlevskaya and Irina Yevdokimova, of the non-profit-making partnership EVA, told Ms Ban about their social network of women affected by HIV and the challenges they faced. They stressed the need for closer interaction between public health and nongovernmental organizations working with women at higher risk of HIV for early diagnosis of HIV and to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

Yulia Godunova, Executive Director of EVA, told Ms Ban she was expecting her second child. She said that her wish was that neither she nor her children would ever face stigma and discrimination associated with HIV.

Ms Ban, a mother of three and grandmother of four, said that women should be leaders for change, “because it’s hard to find better motivation than children. I admire what you are doing for the sake of your children. You bring about change in society. Thank you.”