WHO representatives acknowledged Kazakhstan’s achievements and highlighted the country’s progress in ensuring access to HIV testing and diagnosis, antiretroviral therapy, and medical care for people living with HIV.

The participants discussed HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment, as well as opportunities to strengthen further cooperation.

Particular attention was given to planning joint activities for 2026–2027. These will focus on preventing late HIV diagnosis, improving testing services, and evaluating HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) programmes.

The first step is to get tested and find out your HIV status.

???? HIV testing is confidential.
???? You can get tested at primary healthcare organizations, AIDS prevention and control centers, and youth health centers.
???? With early diagnosis and timely treatment, HIV can be effectively controlled.

❤️ Get tested. Know your status. Take care of your health!

???? Sairankul Kassymbekova — Master of Medicine, Head of the Clinical Monitoring Department at the Kazakh Scientific Center of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases.

HIV testing during pregnancy is an important part of protecting the health of both the expectant mother and her baby. However, it is also important for the pregnant woman’s sexual partner to know their HIV status and get tested.

Even if a pregnant woman’s HIV test is negative, her partner’s HIV status should also be taken into account, and testing should be carried out regularly and in a timely manner.

If a partner is diagnosed with HIV, modern treatment can effectively control the virus. When an undetectable viral load is achieved and maintained, there is no risk of sexual transmission of HIV.

If a pregnant woman is HIV-negative and her partner is living with HIV, a doctor may consider pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which helps reduce the risk of HIV infection.

❤️ Testing is not about distrust. It is about taking responsibility for the health of your family and your future child.

???? Kazakh Scientific Center of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases
Prevention • Diagnosis • Treatment

 The seminar was organized by the Mangystau Regional Center for HIV Prevention. It was attended by 63 specialists from public healthcare organizations and private medical centers responsible for conducting rapid HIV testing.

During the seminar, participants were informed about cases in which rapid HIV testing is conducted based on epidemiological indications, the categories of people subject to testing, and the procedure for organizing rapid HIV testing.

The participants also discussed measures to prevent emergency situations that may occur in medical organizations, ensure the safety of healthcare workers, and follow safety precautions when working with biological fluids.

As part of the practical session, specialists demonstrated the procedure for conducting a rapid HIV test and explained the testing stages, requirements for handling biological material, and procedures for evaluating the results.

During the discussion, participants asked questions related to the topic and received answers from the specialists.

             During the meeting, specialists from the Center provided up-to-date information on the epidemiological situation regarding HIV infection in the capital, discussed the routes of HIV transmission, key prevention measures, and modern approaches to HIV testing and treatment.

              Particular attention was paid to the importance of regular HIV testing. Specialists noted that timely testing allows individuals to learn their HIV status, receive the necessary counseling, and, if needed, start treatment promptly.

              The participants also discussed the importance of accurate and responsible coverage of HIV-related topics in the mass media, as well as the need to prevent the spread of myths, stigma, and discrimination against people living with HIV.

              The journalists had the opportunity to ask the Center's specialists questions and receive professional answers. It was emphasized that the mass media play an important role in increasing public awareness and promoting a responsible attitude toward one's health.

              The Astana City HIV Prevention Center reminds the public that HIV testing is available within the framework of the guaranteed volume of free medical care and on a confidential basis.Timely HIV testing is an important step toward maintaining good health and receiving necessary medical care without delay.

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.

The goal of the training is to enhance the professional competence of specialists, improve practical skills, and develop a unified approach to organizing preventive work against HIV infection in medical organizations.

The participants included responsible specialists from primary healthcare organizations, private medical organizations, hospitals, maternity departments, and district hospitals. This representation made it possible to consider issues related to HIV prevention at various levels of medical care delivery.

- «The main goal of the training is not only to update the theoretical knowledge of specialists but also to reinforce the practical skills they need in their daily work. Special attention was paid to early detection of HIV infection, testing rules, maintaining confidentiality, preventing stigma and discrimination, as well as the ethical principles of interaction with patients», -  noted Aigul Duisenbayeva, head of the Aktobe Regional Center for HIV Prevention.

During the five‑day training, specialists studied issues related to early detection of HIV infection, counseling and proper information provision to patients, and prevention of vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child. Special attention was paid to organizing preventive work with women and children and to the interaction between specialists in maternity departments and other medical organizations.

The practical component included issues related to ensuring quality at the pre‑laboratory stage of HIV diagnostics, as well as proper collection, storage, and delivery of biomaterial to the HIV Center’s laboratory. The specialists also honed their skills in conducting rapid testing and solving situational tasks.

Following the five‑day training, an assessment was conducted, which made it possible to evaluate the level of knowledge and practical skills acquired, as well as the specialists’ readiness to apply them in their professional activities.

Holding a regional‑level seminar helps to improve the qualifications of HIV coordinators and strengthen the quality of preventive work in medical organizations in the Aktobe Region.

According to Rustem Moldagali, Acting Chief Physician of the Akmola Regional HIV Prevention Center, most of the campaigns are held in busy public places, including parks, embankments, and shopping centers. In this area, the Center actively cooperates with Youth Health Centers and educational institutions.

“Such campaigns generate considerable interest among the public, so we plan to continue this practice in the future,” said the head of the medical organization.

During the outreach activities, specialists not only provide counseling but also offer rapid HIV testing. The test systems used make it possible to obtain results within a short period of time without lengthy waiting.

As Assel Baltabayeva, Head of the Center’s Prevention Department, explained, fourth-generation rapid HIV tests are used during the campaigns.

“They make it possible to detect the virus at earlier stages by identifying not only antibodies but also the p24 antigen,” the specialist explained.

The Center’s specialists note that HIV is now transmitted mainly through sexual contact. Therefore, it is important to make informed and responsible decisions about one’s sexual behavior. Healthcare professionals recommend delaying sexual debut, maintaining mutual fidelity in relationships, and using condoms during all types of sexual activity.