During a visit to Djibouti, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé has met a group of volunteers involved in an innovative public-private partnership between the Ministry of Health, the BE Health Association and the Kempinski Hotel Group.
Since September 2014, BE Health has trained 24 employees of the Djibouti Palace Kempinski Hotel to become peer health educators. Since June 2015, these volunteers have reached out to more than 300 people a month in six community health centres across Djibouti-Ville. They have also identified 15 tuberculosis patients who had interrupted their treatment and guided them back on to medication.
BE Health, an independent Swiss non-profit health association that aims to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, is expanding its collaboration with the health authorities in Djibouti to foster and facilitate screening campaigns for tuberculosis and HIV.
“I commend this project as an example of the kind of public-private partnership that can inspire change and transform the lives of people affected by HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases. We can all play a part in creating a healthier world.”
Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director
"We believe our role is crucial in reaching communities and scaling up prevention through this innovative partnership with the health authorities. Through us they can do much more.”
BE Health project peer educator
