HIV infection. The problem remains!

Every year, December 1 is celebrated all over the worldWorld AIDS Day, which is aimed at strengthening public awareness of the problem of HIV infection, spreading preventive information among the population, as well as combating denial of the existing problem and discrimination.

The events organized and held within the framework of the commemorative date are designed to draw public attention to the problem of the spread of HIV infection in our country and to focus the attention of the population on the need for HIV testing, knowledge of their HIV status and is aimed at raising awareness about the prevention of HIV infection.

In recent years, HIV infection in the Russian Federation has been diagnosed in older age groups. If in 2001 87% of HIV-infected people were diagnosed at the age of 15-29 years, then in 2019 – 82% over the age of 30 years.

For 10 months of this year, 303 new cases of HIV infection were registered in the region, including 257 cases among local residents. 65.0 % of patients with HIV were sexually infected, and 33.4% were infected with intravenous drugs. The main increase in new cases of HIV infection is provided by the age groups 30-39 (55.7 %), 20-29 years (45.3 %), 40-49 years (41.0).

With the adoption of the State Strategy for Combating the Spread of HIV Infection in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2020 and beyond, in the Lipetsk region in recent years, the coverage of the population with HIV antibody testing has significantly increased, if in 2010 9.9% of the total population of the region was examined, then in 2018 - already 25%. Over the past five years, the proportion of HIV-infected people registered at the dispensary has increased from 60.8% in 2013 to 87% in 2019. Over the past seven years, treatment coverage for HIV patients in the region has increased from 29% of the number of registered patients in 2010 to 60% in 2019.

Treatment of HIV infection (antiretroviral therapy) is a powerful double-acting factor that both saves lives and prevents new infections. Early detection and timely treatment is an effective measure in the fight against the disease.

You can take an HIV test at:

• GUZ "Lipetsk Regional Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS and Infectious Diseases", (address-Lipetsk, Gagarina str., 135; working hours-from Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 16.00) (except Saturday and Sunday);
• polyclinics at the place of residence or other medical organizations in Lipetsk and the Lipetsk region.

An HIV test is a must-pass for anyone who:

• have you ever had unprotected sexual contact;
• had experience of injecting drugs;
• planning a pregnancy;
• wants to be confident in the state of their health and the health of their loved ones.

Prevention is the only available and sufficiently effective tool that we can use on a large scale and that can help the population to resist this disease. From November 18 to December 18, 2019, a month of HIV prevention is being held in the Lipetsk region. In the same period, from November 25 to December 1, 2019, the All-Russian campaign " Stop HIV/AIDS", which aims to: raising public awareness on HIV prevention issues; motivating citizens to voluntarily test for HIV and behave safely in terms of HIV infection; informing citizens about ways to obtain information about HIV infection (Internet portals: www.o-spide.ru, www.aids48.ru in groups of social networks Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki (SPIDU48NET).

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of the problem of the spread of HIV infection and the need for serious and urgent measures. The challenge for society is to reduce HIV infection and AIDS-related deaths by making therapy available to people living with HIV. Its achievement is possible only with the help of comprehensive and targeted preventive measures in the interaction of various services and departments. And also with the participation of caring people with an active civic position.

Without the personal contribution of each of us, it is impossible to effectively resist HIV infection. It is aimed at finding and disseminating reliable information about transmission routes, prevention measures and ways to protect against HIV infection, applying this knowledge in everyday life, as well as combating prejudice against HIV-positive people and discrimination against people personally affected by the epidemic.

If you have any questions or doubts about HIV infection, please contact the specialists of the AIDS Center by calling the helpline 34 20 77.

Chief Physician of GUZ " Lipetsk Regional
center for prevention and Control
AIDS and infectious diseases»,
Filatov Andrey Nikolaevich