Medical workers of Akmola region told about modern methods of HIV prevention on the eve of the Day of Remembrance of people who died of AIDS

May 15, 2023

Every year, at the initiative of the World Health Organization, every third Sunday in May is celebrated as the Day of Remembrance of People who died of AIDS, the chief physician of the HIV Prevention Center Kurmanbek Burmaganov said at a press conference.

According to the speaker, the epidemiological situation of HIV infection in the Akmola region remains stable, but the registration of cases of HIV infection among the population continues. For four months of this year, 44 cases of HIV infection were detected in the region (39 cases for the same period in 2022). At the end of April 2023, 1,015 people living with HIV are living with HIV positive status, of which 94% are taking antiretroviral therapy. More than half of HIV cases are registered in the age group of 30-49 years, and the sexual route or 79.5% (in 2022 – 77%) dominates the transmission routes.

At the end of his speech, the chief physician of the medical organization called on the media, civil society and activists to develop joint efforts with medical professionals to prevent HIV infection, so that as many people as possible would be correctly informed about transmission routes and prevention measures, modern approaches to preventing HIV infection, as well as about the existence of therapy that allows to live a full life.

The press conference was continued by the head of the Department of Preventive Work Assel Baltabayeva, who spoke about new methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection, especially focusing on pre-contact prevention (PREP).

The doctor noted that, thanks to the development of medicine, today it is possible to control this disease, not only in terms of the development of the disease and the prevention of the last stage, but also using pre-contact prevention, which reduces the risks of HIV infection.

By the way, this preventive therapy can already be obtained at the HIV prevention center for free for key population groups and serodiscordant couples, i.e. where one partner is infected and the other is not. PREP is prescribed in a Friendly office under the supervision of a doctor, because therapy has its own indications and contraindications. But, as the speaker noted, there are already studies in the world that prove the effectiveness of pre-contact prevention.

Recall that the World Day of Remembrance of People who Died of AIDS is held annually on every third Sunday in May. In 2023, it falls on the 21st. And on the eve of this date, various events are planned to be held in Akmola region from May 15 to May 19, including the performance of the center's doctors on local television, information campaigns with the opportunity to find out their HIV status on the spot and the activation of the media, social networks in attracting the attention of the population to issues of safe sexual, injecting behavior, the formation of society, which excludes discrimination against people living with HIV.

More detailed information about the place and date of the actions with free rapid HIV testing will be available from the official accounts in the social networks of the center.

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