National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” together with the Poltava Regional Council’s Regional Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control and the “Light of Hope” Charitable Organization joined the social initiative within the framework of the World AIDS Day as well as European HIV Testing Week. On November 29, from 13:00 to 16:00, a mobile testing center was operating on the campus.
In Ukraine more than 257,000 people are living with HIV, and one in three HIV-positive Ukrainians is unaware of their status. In January-October 2021, 12,626 new cases of HIV, 3,496 cases of AIDS and 1,584 deaths due to AIDS were officially registered in Ukraine. 70% of reported cases are identified through programs implemented by the Public Health Alliance in Ukraine together with its partners.
“At the moment, prejudice is less and less present among the public. Everyone knows that they need to be tested for HIV at least once a year or every six months. Sometimes we ask people, “How is HIV transmitted?”, “What is this disease?” Most people know the answers. Well, if they don’t, then we provide guidance to them, and explain,” – said a social worker of the “Light of Hope” Charitable Organization Nataliia Shvydun. Together with Lidiia Zinchenko, a nurse in the manipulation room of the Public utility company “Poltava Regional Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control of the Poltava Regional Council”, she received visitors to the mobile laboratory. – “HIV is not a sentence. It is possible to live with this disease in the future. If a positive result is found, we tell one about the patient’s route, where to go next, what to do. For example, if a person from the district – they need to apply to the district hospital, there are trust offices. We also provide contact numbers of social workers who work in these offices of trust. A woman with a positive result recently applied. We talked to her, scheduled a day when she will arrive, we are supporting her by phone psychologically and counseling.”
If a person is tested positive for HIV, antiretroviral therapy is prescribed immediately, if there are no serious diseases such as tuberculosis, etc. (previously the patient was waiting for a doctor’s appointment after a complete examination). It is this drug treatment that can increase the life expectancy and quality of people living with HIV to such an extent that patients can live active and long lives.
Test participants were given business cards with contacts of the Public utility company “Poltava Regional Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control of the Poltava Regional Council” and the “Light of Hope” Charitable Organization, information materials with myths about HIV/AIDS and free condoms.
“Everyone has the right to life and health. We all know that health is the greatest human value, which, unfortunately, we are beginning to protect and cherish after losing much of this treasure. You need not only to be healthy – you need to be able to take care of your own health. Of course, AIDS is a tragedy for the entire human community. It is very good that young students have the opportunity to join the campaign, which is held as part of World AIDS Day, take HIV/AIDS testing and talk to experts. Maybe most are just afraid; do not know how the test is taken. I have never been tested in my life, but I always wanted to. This is probably the right time to do it for the first time,” – reflects a 201-FS student and the Head of the Student Council of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports Yelyzaveta Nikulina.
According to the WHO/UNAIDS, 79.3 million people worldwide have been infected with HIV and 36.3 million have died of AIDS since the epidemic outbreak. Today, there are almost 37.7 million people living with HIV in the world, and almost 6 million of them do not know they are infected.
Previously, Polytechnic students learned how to prevent and combat bullying.
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National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
