By KYIV. Dec 1 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, thanks to donors and partners in the fight against HIV – the Global Fund, PEPFAR, USAID and UNAIDS, Ukrainian patients have received more than 209,600 courses of ARV therapy worth $13 million.
According to a press release from the patient organization CO 100% Life, which acted as a logistics partner for the delivery, 25.5 tonnes of drugs were delivered to warehouses in Poland and transported to all regions of Ukraine in three days.
"As a result, 209,600 courses of ARV therapy were imported into Ukraine after February 24, for which the PEPFAR program provided $13 million. To date, all patients with HIV are provided with treatment and have a supply of ARV drugs," the patient organization said.
According to Chief Sanitary Doctor, Deputy Minister of Health Ihor Kuzin, thanks to the effective partnership of international donors, the state and patient organizations, about 130,000 HIV patients in Ukraine are provided with therapy for the next year.
As reported, Ukraine today occupies one of the first places among the countries of the European region in terms of the number of HIV-positive people. About 30% of HIV-positive people do not know about their HIV status, or remain outside medical supervision and, accordingly, do not receive treatment (ARV therapy).
According to estimates, at the beginning of 2022, there were 244,877 people living with HIV in Ukraine, including 200,000 people in Ukrainian-controlled territories.
As of the beginning of 2022, more than 129,000 HIV-positive Ukrainians received ARV treatment. Therapy allows people with HIV to live.
Currently, the main route of HIV transmission remains sexual – 65%, of which 62.1% is heterosexual contact, about 3% is homosexual.
