A Lecture on HIV Prevention Was Held at JSC «Bus Park No. 3»

August 31, 2026

Prevention department specialists at the Astana Center for HIV Prevention conducted a lecture titled "HIV Prevention in the Workplace" for employees of "Bus Park No. 3" JSC, including drivers, maintenance workers, and dispatch staff.

The discussion began with a core focus: how the virus is transmitted. The experts outlined three transmission routes: sexual, bloodborne (including the use of unsterilized instruments), and vertical (from mother to child). For each route, they explained the practical measures that effectively minimize the risk.

A dedicated segment covered testing. In Astana, screening is available free of charge and anonymously, with a rapid test taking only a few minutes. The earlier a person learns their status, the more effective the treatment. Modern antiretroviral therapy allows individuals to maintain their health, continue working as usual, and completely prevents transmission to a partner once an undetectable viral load is reached.

Everyday social interaction sparked the most questions. Employees were reassured that HIV is not transmitted through handshakes, hugs, shared utensils, clothing, or doorknobs, as the virus is highly unstable in the external environment. Ignorance of these basic facts is frequently the root cause of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

As the Center's specialists emphasized, people often fear their own misconceptions more than the virus itself. Once a workforce understands how HIV is actually transmitted, baseless fears disappear.

Following the lecture, participants had the opportunity to ask the experts questions directly. These on-site workplace meetings are an integral part of the Center's systematic prevention strategy. Engaging an industrial workforce makes it possible to simultaneously reach hundreds of individuals who might rarely seek out this vital information on their own.

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