There are 76 875 people living with HIV-infection in Ukraine and 8 478 out of this number are children.

People living with HIV/AIDS after starting ARV-treatment by no means should interrupt it

– If a person never had sex without condom, never had blood transfusion and never took drugs than he has good chances to be HIV-negative, - says Laima Geidar, the specialist of information, education and advocacy department of the International Alliance on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine. – But if he at least ones had sex without condom, ever did tattoo or piercing, the risk to contract HIV/AIDS is very high. You should get tested in order to protect yourself. For instance there are some medicines that cannot be used by HIV-infected person. If you’re aware of your status, the person can avoid serious complications. And, of course, he won’t transmit the virus to other people.

HIV test is a stress for everyone. The result dictates the future life. HIV-infected people usually feel themselves abandoned and their life is changing completely. It’s amazing but there are a lot incurable diseases and people usually sympathize to those affected. HIV diagnosis causes negative attitude.

– When in 1983 the virus was discovered, it was considered that it affects homosexuals only, - continues Laima Geidar. – Later on considering AIDS as the plague of the XX century, people told that it affects drug addicts and sex workers. These groups have the highest risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and since the society treats these people as certain evil, relevant attitude was formed to all HIV-infected people. However the number of people living with HIV/AIDS is growing constantly. Today there is no such idea as risk group. There is no limitation for the virus either in age or in social status.

Recently the world celebrated the International Candlelight Memorial Day. On the eve Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation together with All-Ukrainian network of people living with HIV/AIDS invited the journalists, doctors and HIV-positive people in order to discuss the problems that infected people may face. HIV-positive people encouraged everybody to take tests.

– The most popular question is: “Is there any sense to do HIV test if it is incurable?” – says Laima Geidar. – Yes, the disease is incurable, but HIV-infected people are offered to take ARV therapy owing to which the virus generation in the human’s body as well as AIDS progression may be suppressed. In Ukraine under support of Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and owing to state financing the treatment of these diseases are provided to all who needs it free of charge. Domestic pharmaceutical plants are planning launch the production of ARV drugs. Who knows, maybe in the nearest future the medicine for AIDS will be invented. Even without it, HIV-positive people can live for many years, have families, born healthy kids and do what they like the most. In other words they live a full life. They do have more problems than other people but the problems can be solved.

– Although HIV-positive people are provided with ARV treatment, the medicines for other serious infections (tuberculosis, hepatitis B, herpes viruses) should be bought at their expense, - continues Vladimir Zhovtyak, the head of coordination board of All-Ukrainian network of people living with HIV. – Until these opportunistic infections won’t be cured, the person cannot start ARV treatment. The medicines cost a lot of money and most of those demanding it die because they don’t have enough money. (If you want to help HIV-infected people to procure the medicines you can transfer money to the account of All-Ukrainian charitable organization “Chas zhitya plus”: MFO 300335, code 21718500, current account 2600614701 in JSPPB “Aval”, in Kiev). Besides that, people are not confident that they will have an access to treatment forever. What happens to those infected when the implementation period of Global Fund program ends? Will the state provide everyone with the required treatment? If you start the treatment, you shouldn’t interrupt it, otherwise the virus mutates and becomes resistant to the medicines.

Everyone may pass free of charge testing in Kiev AIDS center

Still people shouldn’t avoid testing. Ignoring the problem, we contribute to the epidemic increase. Each month in Kiev 15 kids are born from HIV-infected women. Most of them find out of their status during the pregnancy.

In Kiev AIDS center (Kiev hospital №5, 11, Otdicha Str.) everybody may have free of charge anonymous testing. The center psychologists provide consulting before and after testing. If the result is positive, the laboratory assistants make two more control tests by applying different kinds of test-systems. Only after three tests proved positive result, the person is informed of his HIV-positive status. When people find out of their status they are depressed, feel ashamed and guilty that’s why they need the help of psychologist. For those living in Ukraine there is a free hot line. Any person may call 8-800-500-45-10 and discuss, free of charge, HIV/AIDS issues with different specialists: doctors, social workers, psychologists and lawyers.

– Sometimes people call only to be saved in this world, - tells Svetlana Siminova, the consultant of all-ukrainian hot line on HIV/AIDS. – We talk about future and trying to find reasons to live. But not only HIV-infected people call. The considerable part of calls received is those having AIDS phobia. These people think that they are infected. We explain them how the virus is transmitted and they calm down. You can contract HIV/AIDS by having unprotected sex (anal, vaginal and oral), by repeated and common using of syringe and using of nonsterile tools for tattoos and piercing, by using shaving tools. The virus can also be transmitted from HIV-positive mother during delivery and breast feeding. Sometimes very aggressive aidsphobs may call. They speak up their negative attitude towards HIV-positive people telling they must be liquidated and isolated from the society.