Regions of Expertise
How Knowledge Hubs are boosting HIV prevention, treatment and care across whole regions
This report describes concept, evolution, results and lessons learnt by the three GTZ- and WHO-supported HIV knowledge hubs in Eastern Europe.
Writer:
James Boothroyd
- Rolf Korte (GFATM)
- Jason Wright (USAID)
Authors: Ivana Bozicevic, Shona Schonning, Zoya Shabarova (knowledge hub coordinators), Kristina Kloss, Peter Weis (BACKUP), Ulrich Laukamm-Josten, Anne Petitgerard (WHO Euro) / First edition July 2010, this edition January 2011
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.