Dignitas International is a medical and research organization, which is dedicated to improving access to lifesaving treatment and care for HIV, TB and related diseases in resource-limited settings. Dignitas was founded by

James Orbinski James Jude Orbinski, (born 1960 in England) is a Canadian physician, humanitarian activist, author and leading scholar in global health. Orbinski was the 2016-17 Fulbright Visiting professor at the University of California, Irvine, and as of ...

and James Fraser, both formerly with

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF; pronounced ), also known as Doctors Without Borders, is a humanitarian medical non-governmental organisation (NGO) or charity of French origin known for its projects in conflict zones and in countries affected by endemic diseases. ...

(MSF/Doctors Without Borders), with an underlying belief in human dignity. Dignitas works in partnership with patients, health workers, researchers and policymakers to tackle the barriers to health care in resource-limited communities. Dignitas emphasizes a balance between frontline care and research in order to treat patients, strengthen health systems and shape health policy and practice. Community-based care enables communities to overcome the lack of health care workers in regions overwhelmed by the

AIDS pandemic The global epidemic of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) began in 1981, and is an ongoing worldwide public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2021, HIV ...

. Dignitas's work is based on the notion that by creating links between hospitals, health centres and communities, patients will have better access to with life-extending antiretroviral (ARV) therapies. Dignitas tries to develop and refine community-based approaches for HIV-related treatment and prevention so that the lessons learned can be disseminated to other parts of the developing world overwhelmed by AIDS. Dignitas also conducts research in collaboration with the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 ...

and other partners to monitor and evaluate effectiveness, improve programming, and inform the work of other stakeholders. Since October 2004, Dignitas has been working particularly in

Zomba District Zomba District is one of twelve districts in the Southern Region of Malawi, surrounded by the districts of Chiradzulu, Blantyre, Mulanje, Phalombe, Machinga, Balaka and the Republic of Mozambique to the east. The total land area is 2,363 ...

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeas ...

in partnership with the Malawi Ministry of Health, providing antiretroviral (ARV) therapy to thousands of children and adults in the country. Dignitas advocated for HIV testing and against discrimination of sex workers. In 2019 the chair of the board of directors announced the Dignitas was winding down.

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External links

Dignitas International
{{Authority control HIV/AIDS organizations Medical and health organizations based in Ontario Health charities in Canada Foreign charities operating in Malawi