AHF UKRAINE: Access to Treatment for HIV-Infected Drug Users is an Important Step to Overcome the Epidemics of HIV and Tuberculosis in Kyiv

KYIV, Ukraine–(BUSINESS WIRE)–On World HIV/AIDS Day opened the first integrated care center in Kyiv
where HIV-positive drug addicted patients can receive several types of
treatment at the same time: against the drug addiction, against HIV and
against tuberculosis. Now, only one third of HIV-positive drug users in
Kyiv can receive additional medical services, including antiretroviral
therapy, which is a key condition to overcome the epidemics of HIV and
tuberculosis.

Opening the integrated care center is a project that is implemented by
the Representative Office of American AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)
in Ukraine on the facilities of Kyiv City Narcological Hospital
“Sotsioterapiya” and in partnership with Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No.
5, ICF “Alliance of Public Health” and with support from the Kyiv State
City Administration.

Zoya Shabarova, head of the European bureau of AHF, said: “The
establishing of such a center in Kyiv was made possible by joint efforts
of organizations from the governmental and non-governmental sector – US
AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Ukraine, which is an organization that
provides assistance to HIV-infected people in 36 countries, and Kyiv
clinical hospital No. 5, on the facilities of which the city AIDS center
and narcological clinic ‘Sotsioterapiya’ are located. This is an example
of effective partnership to help HIV-positive patients and an essential
condition for the progress in achieving the objectives of the AHF
strategy 20×20 (20 million people on treatment in the world by 2020).
This model should become the gold standard in the process of creating
substitution therapy provision points.”

All the conditions needed for the comprehensive treatment are created at
the center of integrated care; except for substitution therapy, the
patients will be able to undergo rapid and convenient tests for HIV, and
in the case of receiving a positive result, they will be able to undergo
further examination and receive treatment with antiretroviral therapy.

“The opening of this center will help HIV-positive patients to
receive simultaneous treatment in one place. Previously, these people
had to visit different hospitals to obtain three different drugs. Not
surprisingly, more than 70% of patients missed treatment or did not
arrive to receive the medicine. Regimen and regularity play the key
roles in HIV treatment. With this project, we remove the problem of
access to medicines,” said Volodymyr Yaryi, chief
physician of KCNCH “Sotsioterapiya.”

“Kyiv took another important step to overcome the epidemics of HIV
and tuberculosis. This is because the capital joined the initiative
FAST-TRACK CITIES on overcoming the epidemic. The purpose of this
initiative is to finally defeat AIDS by 2030 through active combating in
large cities, where almost 70% of all HIV-positive people reside,” said
Mykola Yuriyovych Povoroznyk, deputy head of Kyiv City State
Administration.

Sergei Filippovich, treatment director, the Alliance of Public
Health, said: “Since 2005, the Alliance supports STI sites
across the country as part of the Global Fund programs. Now more than
9000 clients have access to STI in 173 sites. We support partnership
initiatives of KCCH No. 5, KCNCH ‘Sotsioterapiya,’ AIDS Healthcare
Foundation in Ukraine, to provide integrated services in Kiev.”

Today in Kyiv, 939 people are received drug addiction treatment
(substitution therapy), 368 of them are HIV positive and need ARV drugs.

Reference:

Opening the integrated care center is a project that is implemented by
the Representative Office of American AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)
in Ukraine on the facilities of Kyiv City Narcological Hospital
“Sotsioterapiya” and in partnership with Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No.
5, ICF “Alliance of Public Health” and with support from the Kyiv State
City Administration.

So, the person that is simultaneously suffering from two diseases – HIV
and drug dependence – had to visit different clinics to get vital
treatment. Very often these patients simply did not come to receive
treatment. Creating a site of integrated care in Kyiv made it possible
to combine three types of treatments under one roof of KCNCH
“Sotsioterapiya.”

AIDS Healthcare Foundation was established in 1987 in Los
Angeles, as a small community association, whose members were trying to
alleviate the suffering of people who were doomed to die of AIDS. At
present, as part of comprehensive health programs, AHF in partnership
with other organizations provides care, treatment and services to almost
600,000 patients living with HIV in 36 countries in Africa, Asia,
Europe, Latin and North America.

KCNCH “Sotsioterapiya”

Kyiv City Narcological Clinical Hospital “Sotsioterapiya” is the unique
national system of treatment and rehabilitation for patients who have
problems with alcohol and drug abuse and members of their families.
KCNCH “Sotsioterapiya” is a narcological service that serves for the
entire Kyiv (about 6,000 hospital patients, 1,500 ambulatory patients
and narcological monitoring of 27,000 narcological patients).

KCCH No. 5

Kyiv City Center for Prevention and Control of AIDS was established in
1999 to provide specialized medical care to HIV-positive persons and
AIDS patients residing in Kyiv. It is located at the KCCH No. 5, 11,
Vidpochynku St. The AIDS center includes an outpatient department, an
inpatient department and an intensive care unit.

“Alliance of Public Health”

International Charity Foundation in cooperation with government partners
and NGOs in all regions of Ukraine have spent more than 10 years
implementing comprehensive programs of prevention and treatment of HIV,
TB and HCV, which cover more than 250,000 people. Since 2005, direct
support for Alliance number of SMT patients in Ukraine increased by 130
times (from 70 to 9073 patients).

Contacts

AHF Europe
Anna Zakowicz, +31 6 28744655
Deputy Bureau
Chief
anna.zakowicz@aidshealth.org
or
AHF
Europe
Denis Godlevskiy, +7 911 1101310
Advocacy
and marketing manager in Russia and Ukraine
denis.godlevskiy@aidshealth.org