Approximately five thousand citizens of Tajikistan, which were found to be infected with HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis during their stay in the territory of the Russian Federation, were declared personae non gratae for lifetime by the government of Russia in June this year. How could this expulsion of infected fellow citizens affect the Republic of Tajikistan?
During the regional seminar-meeting held on 6-7 June in Almaty, Central Asian nongovernmental organizations established a network of partner organizations to address issues of labour migration and tuberculosis. The participants accepted draft Memorandum of cooperation between non-profit organizations to reduce the prevalence and incidence of tuberculosis among migrant workers in the countries of the region.
Last year a major event in the field of HIV in Russia became the adoption of the National strategies of counteraction with the spread of HIV-infection in the Russian Federation until 2020. One of the key objectives of the Strategy was the consolidation of efforts of governmental and nonprofit organizations in their fight against the epidemic. Today we discuss the implementation of this interaction in the most progressive city of Russia with the Deputy chief physician of St. Petersburg Center for prevention and control of AIDS and infectious diseases, holder of Doctoral degree in Medicine, third-generation doctor Tatiana Vinogradova.
Psychologists, social workers, medical personnel and other employees of four social bureaus in Ukraine gathered for the three-day training Conducting Voluntary Counselling and Testing on HIV with Rapid Tests that AFEW-Ukraine conducted on June 7-9. The training was held within the framework of the project ‘Bridging the Gaps: Health and Rights for Key Populations’ with the financial support of Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the seven modules of the CBPR[e]Education course you will gain insight into, and understanding about the key principles of community based participatory research. Part of this course is available for free: module on writing a conference abstract. This module presents present information on the general requirements and considerations regarding abstract writing and the criteria used in the selection process.
AFEW International has reached out to organizations and networks in Eastern Europe and Central Asia with the request to sign the support letter for re-appointment of Michel Kazatchkine as United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. His contract/mandate as UN special envoy on HIV/AIDS for Eastern Europe and Central Asia ends on 30 June.
Harm Reduction International’s data shows that since 2014, no new countries have established needle and syringe programmes (NSP) and just three have introduced opioid substitution therapy (OST). Of 158 countries where injecting drug use is reported, over half (78) do not offer OST and more than a third (68) still do not provide NSP. In 2015, a UN target to halve HIV transmission among people who inject drugs by 2015 was missed by more than 80%.
Now more than ever, key at-risk populations need increased access to health services to combat the three epidemics of HIV, TB and viral hepatitis, something that was highlighted last year in the new World Health Organisation global health sector strategies on HIV and on viral hepatitis.
Last week the photo exhibition ‘Life in the Shadow’ was brought to the Netherlands by public Foundation ‘AIDS Foundation East-West in Kazakhstan.’ It was possible to see the images of people affected by HIV and tuberculosis during Wolfheze workshops in the Hague on 31 May – 2 June. The main goal of the exhibition is to reduce stigma and discrimination against people with HIV and tuberculosis.
At the end of March, the photo exhibition ‘Life in the Shadow’ dedicated to the World Tuberculosis Day took place in Almaty. AIDS Foundation East-West in Kazakhstan organized this event. The exhibition featured photos of people affected by HIV and tuberculosis. Today we will tell the stories of some of them.
