Reporter Makes Plea for Haiti AIDS Group

Robert Bazell, NBC's chief science and health correspondent, has made a plea on an MSNBC blog for people to donate money to the Haiti AIDS group GHESKIO, which he says has been "providing food, water, shelter, and medical care for thousands" ever since the earthquake hit Haiti two weeks ago.

Acknowledging that there are many groups in Haiti that need financial help, Bazell said he wanted to call attention to GHESKIO "because I know it well and have been visiting there for decades."

Wrote Bazell: "When the organization began, Haitians were suffering intense discrimination around the world because of AIDS. In Haiti itself under the Duvalier government it was literally a crime to mention the word AIDS. But these doctors carried on and recently they have been giving out HIV therapy to tens of thousands. Amazingly immediately after the earthquake they were able to resume giving medications to about 80% of those patients on top of all the other challenges they face."

Please go here to read more about the group and to make an online donation.