Eastern European and Central Asian (EECA) communities will have their own Networking Zone in the Global Village during the 22nd International AIDS Conference AIDS 2018. Now it is time to fill in the Networking Zone with interesting events.
The first edition of PLOV ARTxFOODxCINEMA is coming to Amsterdam on 29 of May. Culinary experiences and cinematographic impressions of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia will come together during the event organised by the AFEW Culture Initiative in collaboration with the partners IDFA and Studio/K. During the event, visitors will taste food from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA): traditional Russian okroshka beetroot and kefir soup and traditional Asian plov (pilaf) dish. After dinner the documentary “Debut” by Anastasiya Miroshnichenko (Belarus, 2017) will be shown.
AFEW international sets up Martine de Schutter Scholarship Fund that allows participants from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) to attend the 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018). Martine’s commitment to the international fight against AIDS and her unwavering support to the Eastern European region has set an example for us to follow. That is why AFEW International established the Scholarship Fund named after Martine de Schutter – our friend and fellow activist.
The total of 603 abstracts from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) were submitted to 22nd International AIDS Conference AIDS 2018 to be held in July in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 182 abstracts out of them were selected for the abstract book, posters and oral presentations. These results were achieved with the support of AFEW International, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in partnership with EECA regional networks EHRA, ECOM, ECUO and GNP+.
Tamar Gakhokidze is a social worker in NGO Gepa Plus. She helps HIV-positive people and people with drug dependency. Last year, she received the Frida and Edita Sisters Award (which honours those who work within communities at the national and international levels in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine – author’s remark) for leadership in social activism that improves the quality of life of key population groups and inspires other people to be socially active.
The International AIDS Conference is the largest conference on any global health issue in the world. First convened during the peak of the AIDS epidemic in 1985, it continues to provide a unique forum for the intersection of science, advocacy, and human rights. Each conference is an opportunity to strengthen policies and programmes that ensure an evidence-based response to the epidemic. The 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) will be hosted in Amsterdam, Netherlands 23-27 July 2018.
Russia accounts for two-thirds of the new HIV cases in Europe and Central Asia. This is what the UNAIDS data show. One of the key factors contributing to the further spread of the epidemic is low treatment coverage: only one-third of people who need treatment get it. This fact, as well as other problems of the region, were discussed at the VI Eastern Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference (EECAAC 2018) held in Moscow on 8 – 20 April 2018.
While the VI Eastern Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference (EECAAC 2018) was going on in Moscow, Svetlana (the name was changed), a 28-year-old woman living in Karaganda, Kazakhstan became a mother for the first time. It seems that these events are not related at all. However, these two facts were brought together not accidentally. At the international forum, scientists, medical professionals, policy-makers, public officials, international experts and civil society activists argued and discussed how to curb the HIV epidemic and achieve the ambitious 90-90-90 UNAIDS targets. Meanwhile, they were not particularly optimistic. At the same time, a woman living with HIV for eight years gave birth to healthy twins. Maybe it is a sign that we should not give up hope?
Kyrgyzstan is gradually switching to state drug provision system. Some of the tuberculosis medicines will be purchased out of the budgetary funds this year, and some of antiretroviral medicines – starting from the next year. Respective financial resources are planned to be allocated in the budget. At the same time, the question regarding the national legislation remains. A number of important documents is currently under the review. We discussed how these documents consider patients’ needs as well as the results of the analysis regarding the availability of medicines for HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis treatment with Aibar Sultangaziev, the representative of public council at the Ministry of Health and the Director of the Partner Network Association.
The Fast Forward Award searches for ‘golden eggs’ – innovative interventions organised by and for the community. The awards aims to link these innovative local solutions with donors in order to increase funding for communities and scale up successful approaches.
