Briefing on HIV prevention in Almaty

September 21, 2022

On September 21, a briefing on HIV prevention was held at the KSU "Regional Communications Service of Almaty".

The speakers at the event were specialists of the AIDS Center of Almaty - Deputy Chief Physician for Organizational, Methodological and Epidemiological Issues Alfiya Denebayeva and Head of the Department of Preventive Work Almira Zaurbekova.

The speakers noted that HIV infection, both in the country and in the city of Almaty, is at a concentrated stage of the spread of the disease.

The prevalence of HIV infection in the age category of 15-49 years in the city is 0.43, with a forecast of 0.57. Almaty ranks sixth in the republic in this indicator.

In the city, 16-17% of the population are tested for HIV annually (about 350 thousand studies).

Answering journalists' questions, experts stressed that in recent years, both in the country as a whole and in Almaty, there has been a tendency to increase cases of sexual transmission of HIV, from 63% in 2013 to 78.6% in 2022.

To combat the epidemic and reduce the number of new cases of infection, much attention is paid to key population groups where there is an increased risk of infection.

The main strategy aimed at slowing the spread of HIV infection remains the widespread popularization of knowledge. Information about the ways of HIV transmission and prevention measures among the population and youth is carried out through lectures, information campaigns, through the publication of videos on social networks, etc.

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