Dear colleagues,

German HIV Practice collection released publication "Regions of expertise - How Knowledge Hubs are boosting HIV prevention, treatment and care across whole regions".

In the first years of an unprecedented wave of funding by GFATM and other financing institutions few countries had the capacity to channel this money effectively into services for HIV prevention, treatment and care. To address this weakness, German BACKUP Initiative in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a number of regional HIV Knowledge Hubs, serving Africa, eastern Europe and central Asia.

Aim of the Hubs is to encourage sustainable, regional and local ownership of comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment programmes. As well, all Hubs offered four basic services: technical training, direct technical assistance, support for technical networks and adaptation of WHO and UNAIDS guidelines.

The Knowledge Hubs are based in the regions they serve, bringing together multiple countries with shared languages, and similar health and education systems and public-health challenges. They work with ministries of health and other key governmental and nongovernmental agencies to develop pools of regional experts, who could provide WHO- certified training and technical assistance.

"Regions of expertise - How Knowledge Hubs are boosting HIV prevention, treatment and care across whole regions" describes concept, evolution, results and lessons learnt by the three GTZ- and WHO-supported HIV knowledge hubs in Eastern Europe.

Link to the publication:

If you would like to receive printed copies of the report, please write to Andrius Losakevicius: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Best,

Larisa Abrickaja

Program Officer, Research and Information Program

Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN)

NGO with the Special Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)