International cooperation

The development of scientific and technical activities of the Kazakh Scientific Center for Dermatology and Infectious Diseases (KSCDID), as well as all other specialized scientific centers plays a key role for improving the medical care quality of the country's population, and develop of new methods for diagnosing and treating HIV infection, hepatitis and dermatological diseases.

During the period of activity from 2019 to 2023, the research team of KSCDID conducted fruitful joint activities with International organizations such as UNAIDS, UNFPA, USAID, UNDP, Global Fund, CDC, CGZCA and others.

The following projects have been implemented:

  1. Together with the international organizations UNFPA and UNAIDS:

«Determination of the duration of HIV infection among people who were first diagnosed with HIV infection in the Republic of Kazakhstan”,  2021-2023. The purpose of this project was to determine the proportion of patients with recent HIV infection using the Maxim HIV-1 Limit Antigen Avidity (LAg-Avidity) ELISA test to plan programs to eliminate the HIV epidemic by 2030»

  1. Together with UNFPA was conducted a study

«Estimating the prevalence of syphilis, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis in the cities of Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Shymkent and Karaganda among pregnant women”, 2019-2021. The prevalence of antibodies to syphilis, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis in pilot cities among pregnant women of the general population»

  1. Together with the CDC was implemented a grant

«Strengthening the capacity of the Republican AIDS Center (RCAIDS) to implement programs for the prevention, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS in Kazakhstan within the framework of the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)»,  2019- 2023.

Technical assistance was provided to build the capacity of the KSCDID in the Republic of Kazakhstan to ensure that services for people at risk and for people living with HIV are provided in accordance with national standards, as well as comply with international standards.

  1. Together with Family Health International “EpiC” was carried out a project «Support to the KSCDIH in achieving the goals and objectives of the SPHR: Search for new cases of HIV. Connecting PLHIV to treat and reducing the viral load (VL) of pre-exposure prophylaxis for serodiscordant partners of PLHIV, 2019-2022. Improving all elements of the treatment cascade.
  2. The following projects were carried out with the Center for Global Health Studies in Central Asia (CGHSCA):
  • Project “UNI” - testing the effectiveness of using social media. networks to increase the proportion of MSM who were tested, registered as D-registered, and received ART in the years. Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Shymkent, 2019-2022.
  • Project “SMART” - increasing adherence to ART among PWID in Kazakhstan”, 2019-2022
  • Project “Beonline”/Amanbol – involvement of MSM in HIV testing in Kazakhstan, 2019-2022.
  • Project “Aegis” - reducing the number of new cases of HIV and STIs, as well as the risks associated with the sexual behavior of women PWID and SW in the years. Almaty, Taldykorgan, 2021-2023.
  • Project “Mental health of people living with HIV” - study of the mental health of 220 PLHIV in Almaty, 2019-2022.

 

The WHO Global Strategy on Sexually Transmitted Infections is seen as essential to achieve universal health coverage, one of the health-related key of Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030.

According to the Decree of the Government of the Republic Kazakhstan No. 945 - the Concept for the development of healthcare in the Republic of Kazakhstan in order to provide accessible specialized, including high-tech, medical care to patients KSCDID has planned to create a modern educational and scientific laboratory for conducting reference tests molecular biological, bacteriological and instrumental research. It is planned to open a specialized department to provide specialized medical care to patients with genodermatoses. Mechanisms for monitoring the prevalence and incidence of socially significant diseases will be strengthened, in particular, laboratory monitoring of the prevalence of STIs in order to stabilize the situation with the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, dynamic monitoring of patients with chronic recurrent, continuous, refractory dermatoses, infections that pose a threat to others.

The creation this educational and scientific laboratory of the KSCDID will help expand access to educational programs for doctors and specialists in dermatovenereology and clinical laboratory specialists to give them an information regarding sexually transmitted infections, improve access to diagnostic technologies and will help overcome in practice the shortcomings of existing outdated specialist training programs.