An action dedicated to the prevention of HIV infection was held in Almaty

May 19, 2022

On May 19, an event was held in Almaty to raise awareness of young people on HIV prevention. The organizers of the important initiative were the Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS in Almaty and the pharmaceutical company Rogers Pharma in Kazakhstan. The event is timed to coincide with the World Day of Remembrance of People who Died of AIDS.

The World Day of Remembrance of People who Died of AIDS is held to remember those who died of AIDS, to express solidarity with people living with HIV, to inform about the need for testing, to reflect on the fact that the HIV epidemic can affect each of us. Two educational institutions of the city were chosen to participate in the informative and preventive campaign: Almaty Medical College and Eurasian Technological University. About 100 students took part in the event.

The Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS in Almaty constantly conducts events among young people and key population groups aimed at popularizing knowledge about HIV and increasing responsible attitude to their health. The staff of the medical institution conducts lectures and seminars for teachers, doctors, teachers, military personnel, students. Also, doctors visit various companies and business structures for informative and preventive purposes.

"The problem was urgent and remains so. One of the main goals of such events is to attract public attention to this issue. Everyone should think about it, assess the risks for themselves and their loved ones. This not only becomes a starting point for testing and reviewing your sexual behavior, but also improving the situation with HIV in our society. The infection has no obvious manifestations, so testing is the only way to know for sure whether a person is sick or not. Everyone can find out their HIV status either in a medical organization or by self-testing. In the second case, if the result is positive or there are any doubts, it is necessary to contact the AIDS Center to confirm the results and receive counseling," said Alfiya Denebayeva, Deputy Chief Physician for Epidemiological and Organizational Issues of the AIDS Center in Almaty.

During the campaign, young people and girls received important information about ways to diagnose and prevent HIV infection. The participants of the event presented quilt – one of the symbols of the World Day of Remembrance of People who Died of AIDS.

On each quilt flap is written the name of a person whose life was claimed by the AIDS epidemic. In addition, the organizers held an interactive game with students, in which students had to answer questions. The authors of the correct answers were awarded valuable prizes. Also, each participant of the meeting received an OraQuick rapid HIV test from Rogers Pharma.

"The rapid test is an Oraquick HIV Selftest self-test kit for the detection of HIV antibodies manufactured in the USA. It is approved by the FDA and the European Union of Medical Professionals and has been pre-qualified by WHO. This test is designed specifically for self-diagnosis and can be purchased at the nearest pharmacy. The advantage of the test is that the material for analysis is a near-root fluid, the intake is made from the oral cavity. After taking the material, the applicator is placed in a bottle with buffer liquid, which is included in the kit, and after 20 minutes the result is ready. If the result is positive, the test will show two strips, if negative, one. Even if a positive result comes out, this is not a reason to despair, but a reason to be tested again. There is no need to be tested on the spot: this test can be done at home. The procedure is quite specific, so some prefer to conduct it in a more relaxed atmosphere," said Dinara Naratauova, Product Manager at Rogers Pharma.

The AIDS Center in Almaty stressed that HIV testing can be done free of charge and anonymously in any medical organization. The AIDS Center itself has all the conditions for obtaining reliable results on HIV testing and treatment – modern equipment, an accredited laboratory, trained specialists. Qualified pre-test and post-test counseling is also conducted here, a psychologist works.

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