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The estimate number of people who use injected drugs (PWID) in Kyrgyzstan is about 25,000 people. Many of these people are women. Such is the data from the research that was conducted within the framework of the Global Fund’s grant in 2013. Within the framework of the project Bridging the Gaps: health and rights for key populations, AFEW-Kyrgyzstan decided to develop a clinical guideline to care in pregnancy for women who use drugs as there were no modern standards for working with women who use drugs in the country before.

While several years ago Tajikistan was concerned with young people being into opiates and stronger synthetic drugs, today there are concerns about the new-generation drugs – so-called spices. The official reports of law enforcement agencies fail to contain any data on the seizure of spices. However, a quick survey among the young people showed that those smoking blends have long been popular in the country.

In Kazakhstan, the key alarming trend of the recent years is the growing sexual transmission of HIV. Before, most people in Kazakhstan contracted HIV when sharing injecting equipment, but now most infections are transmitted through sexual contacts. As of today, there are about 29,000 of Kazakhstani and about 2,000 of foreign citizens living with HIV in Kazakhstan.

As reported by the Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Centre, around 600 to 700 new HIV cases are registered in Georgia annually. Although every citizen is able to receive publicly-funded free treatment, this is insufficient to end HIV. NGO Real People, Real Vision is a member of East Europe and Central Asia Union of People Living with HIV (PLHIV), which has implemented interesting projects on prevention, support and mobilization of people involved in HIV treatment. Discrimination and stigmatisation of HIV-positive people is just one of the problems obstructing prevention of HIV epidemic in Georgia. This and other topics are part of our conversation with Lasha Tvaliashvili, the initiator of multiple video-experiments and the Executive Director of Organization of PLHIV Real People, Real Vision.

From 2018, opioid substitution therapy (OST) programme in Ukraine is financed by the Government. Activists are asking international organizations for a backup to prevent disruptions in the supply of life-saving medications. The Government of Ukraine plans to independently procure substitution therapy programme medications in 2018. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 10 thousand people received therapy last year at 178 institutions throughout the country. It is planned to double the number of patients in 2018.

Almost 100 researchers from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) have received mentorship and expert support through the mentorship program that was established by AFEW International together with Amsterdam Youth Force and Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA). Applicants for XXII International AIDS Conference 2018 have received support with editing, translating, and structuring their work according to the abstract requirements.

In addition to a strong abstract-driven programme, the 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) will offer symposia, workshops and interactive sessions developed by an international committee of HIV scientists, global leaders, policy makers, researchers and advocates. Here is a first glimpse of what you can expect in Amsterdam, which you can also browse in our preview of the conference programme. See an overview of the early programme preview below.