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The struggle against HIV/AIDS epidemic in Kyiv strengthened since the mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, signed the declaration in Paris. Apart from that, Kyiv was included into the Fast-Track Cities programme in April 2016 as a measure to fight AIDS. According to this programme, 90% of the citizens in 2020 should know about the disease, 90% of the infected ones should be getting treatment, and the treatment should be effective for 90% of the patients.

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.

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.