Test for AIDS

According to statistics, in the countries of Europe and Central Asia, on average, every third person living with HIV does not know about their status, and every second HIV-positive person is late diagnosed. Many, especially vulnerable groups of the population, are surveyed with reluctance and even with fear. The real reserve of increasing the population's access to HIV testing is the possibility of rapid testing on the basis of NGOs. What prevents the introduction of new methods of HIV testing in Kazakhstan? The answer to this and other questions was sought on August 4 in Almaty at a working meeting with participation of governmental, international and non-governmental organizations.

Many more obstacles

The OUJL "Kazakhstan Union of People Living with HIV" as part of the USAID / PEPFAR program "Access to rapid HIV testing on the basis of Kazakhstani NGOs", held a working meeting in Almaty on August 4. Its goal is to unite efforts between state structures, international organizations and the civil sector in the implementation of rapid HIV testing by NGOs. The results of the study "Analysis of Barriers for the Implementation of Express Testing on the Basis of NGOs in the Republic of Kazakhstan" were presented at the meeting. The plan of further joint actions was worked out by interested partners - MZRD RK, Republican Center for AIDS Prevention and Control, international organizations (ICAP, CDC, PSI) and NGO representatives.
"Тoday in Kazakhstan there is no legal basis for the introduction of rapid HIV testing on the basis of NGOs. And this is the resource that can significantly increase the coverage of those tested for HIV. Now, in the countries of Europe and Central Asia, on average, every third person living with HIV does not know about their status, and every second HIV-positive person is diagnosed late," Nurali AMANZHOLOV, president of the ULP" Kazakhstan Union of People Living with HIV," is concerned.

For information, in many regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan NGOs are actively working, which implement projects to provide assistance and support to groups at high risk of HIV infection. HIV testing on the basis of these organizations will help not only to increase the coverage of HIV tested people, but also will improve the quality of projects being implemented. The project for the introduction of rapid testing is designed for 8 months, tentative implementation dates in Kazakhstan - 2 next years.
As already mentioned above, there are still many barriers to the implementation of the project: imperfection of the regulatory and legislative framework, lack of sanitary conditions for NGOs, inadequate staff readiness. According to experts, today in Kazakhstan only 8 NGOs are ready to provide express testing services. A total of 75 AIDS-service non-governmental public organizations work in Kazakhstan.

Virus Statistics

The epidemiological situation in Kazakhstan does not inspire optimism, because the number of HIV-infected HIV in Kazakhstan is steadily growing. According to the Republican AIDS Center, the number of people living with HIV as of December 1, 2014 was 16,227. For 7 months of 2015, there was an "increase": 1376 new cases of HIV infection were registered. In total, more than 17603 people were infected. And for 6 months of 2016 among the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, there were registered 1351 new cases of HIV infection.
And unfortunately, in our country more and more women become ill with this disease. Such data were released at the end of 2015 in Astana during an event dedicated to the problem of the feminization of HIV / AIDS in Kazakhstan. Thus, the rate of HIV infection among Kazakhstani women exceeds those for men. In 2014, women accounted for 43.2% of HIV infections, for men it was 56.8%, whereas in 2001 this ratio was 20% and 80%, respectively! The wide spread of the virus among women is also facilitated by their large anatomical vulnerability. Studies in Europe 563 heterosexual couples in which only one partner was initially infected allowed to assume that the transfer from a man to a woman is about twice as likely as from a woman to a man.

The process is also supported by people who use injecting drugs and their sexual partners. According to the latest estimate, about 127,000 people use injecting drugs in the country, with an HIV test of less than 30,000. 63% of this group are not interested in determining their HIV status.
And how many people in the republic do not know about their illness? It can be safely assumed that given the ignorant of their status, the real number of patients with a fatal infection can be many times greater.

Knowing their status

How can Kazakhstanis learn about their HIV status? The HIV test for citizens of Kazakhstan and oralmans is free, including for anonymous examination, for clinical and epidemiological indications. Providing the same certificate of HIV status is paid and costs about 2,000 tenge.

Couples entering into legal marriage can voluntarily undergo testing for AIDS. In order to timely identify infected pregnant women and take preventive measures to prevent infection of the child, mandatory free HIV testing is introduced for pregnant women.

Express tests are currently used only when contacting the medical organization and for limited categories: the arrival of unescorted women in maternity hospitals, in emergency situations, for medical workers assisting patients with unknown HIV status, and for representatives of the vulnerable population group homosexuals, people who use injecting drugs and provide sexual services).

In the case of introduction of universal rapid testing in the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of NGOs, more and more citizens will be able to learn their status and take the necessary measures. This approach allows us to identify HIV infection at an early stage, ensure timely treatment, prevent new infections. The reliability of express tests is 98%. With a positive result, patients are sent to the AIDS Center for a re-laboratory, more reliable examination.

By the way, rapid HIV testing on the basis of NGOs is already available in Kyrgyzstan, where the project has proved its effectiveness. In Kazakhstan, for its implementation, it is necessary to amend the legislation. It turns out that there are tests that can detect the presence of antibodies to HIV in saliva. They are more convenient for use, but they are not yet licensed in Kazakhstan.

Remember about prevention

Doctors are reminded of the ways of transmission of the virus. Fortunately, HIV does not spread through water, food and air. There are three ways of transmission of HIV: sexual, through blood and perinatal - from mother to child. To prevent infection through the blood, you must remember the rules of personal hygiene, especially when using toiletries. First of all, it concerns objects that can be cut, and on which traces of fresh blood can be preserved (scissors, forceps, razors, etc.). The main goal of prevention is changing risky behavior, abandoning drugs, casual relationships, unprotected sex.

How is HIV not transmitted? When shaking hands, coughing, sneezing, visiting the pool, sauna, toilets, with insect bites, friendly kisses, through food, dishes, clothes, underwear, in contact with pets.

Telephones of trust of the RC of AIDS in Almaty: 329-30-73, 329-31-73.
 
Source: www. rezonans.kz