Elton John has announced that the Elton John AIDS Foundation is launching a $1 million Covid-19 emergency fund to make sure that front-line partners can respond to the effects of the pandemic on HIV care for the most marginalised communities around the world.
"For almost 30 years my foundation has prioritised the most vulnerable people to HIV, to end the AIDS epidemic. And we are committed to this during the Covid-19 crisis too. Distributing medicines, testing and preventive treatment is not as simple as it was a few weeks ago.
"So, our new Covid-19 Emergency Fund will help front-line partners to prepare for and respond to the pandemic and its effects on HIV prevention and care for the most marginalised communities.
Elton's statement continues: "We must keep up the momentum, or else the results will be disastrous for people living with HIV and other infectious diseases.
"We are with you, we are thinking of you, we will not leave anyone behind. Head to EJAF.org to find out more. Thank you."
Today, I'm proud to announce that my Foundation @EJAF is launching a $1million COVID-19 Emergency Fund to make sure that our frontline partners can respond to the effects of COVID-19 on HIV care for the most marginalised communities around the world. pic.twitter.com/g4wh9dnd3d
— Elton John (@eltonofficial) April 4, 2020
"We've come so far in this journey and we have the medical tools we need to help every single person at risk of or living with HIV to live a normal life," the musician said in January 2019, as he welcomed delegates at the AIDSfree Cities Global Forum.
John has been tireless in speaking out about and promoting the battle against HIV.
"There is still an AIDS crisis - not only in sub-Saharan Africa, but right here in America, in your state, in your community," he wrote on the CNN website in 2014. The short article accompanied a screening of The Normal Heart, a documentary about HIV.
"And, just as in 1985, it is silence, fear and stigma that continue to drive the epidemic," the campaigning musician said.
