Where can I get voluntary HIV testing, and how many cases have been registered in the Vitebsk region this year?
COVID-19 has clearly demonstrated that during any pandemic, the safety of all depends on the safety of each. To achieve success, it is necessary to provide assistance to all those who need it. Eradicating stigma and discrimination, and applying approaches based on human rights and gender equality are the main conditions for ending the HIV and COVID-19 pandemics worldwide.
In the Republic of Belarus, over the past decade, the largest number of new HIV infections has been registered among people aged 35 and older. The heterosexual route of virus transmission predominates. As of November 1st, more than 30,000 cases of HIV infection have been registered in the republic since the beginning of observation; over 23,000 people are living with it.
In the Vitebsk region, according to the HIV/AIDS Prevention Department of the Regional Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, there are 1620 cases of HIV infection as of this date, with 1253 people living with the virus in its territory. The prevalence rate is 107.38 per 100,000 population (nationwide – 240.85 per 100,000). In January-October 2020, 66 new cases of HIV infection were detected in the Vitebsk region (in October last year, there were 102).
-- A system has been established in our country to ensure maximum accessibility to counseling and testing for HIV infection, -- said Valentina Ananyeva, head of the department. -- Voluntary testing by donating blood for analysis, including anonymous testing, can be done in any medical facility with a procedure room. Also, in Belarus, anonymous counseling centers operate on the basis of public non-profit organizations, providing counseling and testing services for HIV infection for the most vulnerable population groups (injecting drug users, women involved in the sex business, men who have sex with men).
All HIV-positive patients in the Republic of Belarus who are under dispensary observation receive antiretroviral therapy medications free of charge. Today, there are almost 19,000 such people, including 1,023 in the Vitebsk region.
By starting treatment in a timely manner and following all doctor's instructions, people living with HIV can live a long and fulfilling life. The quality of life of HIV-positive people, thanks to these medications, is almost no different from the quality of life of people without the infection.
Now, the efforts of the medical community, the education system, culture, and the media should be focused on educating the population on HIV prevention issues, with an emphasis on preserving the social value of the family and the birth of a healthy generation, respecting human rights, and preventing stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV infection.
On the eve of World AIDS Day, information and educational events are being held in our region, as well as in the country as a whole: exhibitions, competitions, and live broadcasts. Priority is given to educating youth, and special attention will also be paid to the age group over 35.