World AIDS Campaign

Get Zero Campaign, started in 2011 year, will last until 2015 year and is supported by the United Nations:

"Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths ".

The World Campaign calls for, that different regions and population groups will each year choose one or more topics for active promotion, the most relevant situations for the region.

The main stages of the "Get to Zero" campaign are the following tasks, to be achieved before 2015 of the year:

Zero New HIV Infections calls for:

– halving the sexual transmission of HIV, including among young people, men, having sex with men, and in the context of sex work;

– complete elimination of vertical transmission of HIV;

– preventing HIV transmission among humans, injecting drug users.

Zero AIDS-related deaths include:

– ensuring universal access to antiretroviral therapy for people, living with HIV;

– halving maternal AIDS-related mortality;

– halving the death rate from tuberculosis among humans, living with HIV;

– access to care and support for all people, living with HIV, and families, affected by HIV infection.

"Zero discrimination":

– decrease in the number of countries, where there are punitive laws and practices for HIV transmission, sex, drug use or homosexuality, hindering an effective response to the epidemic;

– elimination of restrictions on entry, stay and accommodation, HIV-related, in half of the countries;

– inclusion of women and girls in national programs to combat the HIV / AIDS epidemic;

– complete absence of gender-based violence.

In the Republic of Belarus, in the State Program for the Prevention of HIV Infection on 2011-2015 years outlined a strategy for HIV / AIDS, which reflects the goals, tasks and priorities, taking into account the specifics of the spread of HIV infection in the country. The goal of the State Program is to curb the spread of HIV infection in the Republic of Belarus and reduce mortality from AIDS..

Within the framework of the State Program, it is planned to solve the following tasks:

– providing individuals, infected with HIV, continuous and equal access to treatment, care and support;

– creating conditions for strengthening reproductive health and the birth of healthy children by HIV-infected women;

– prevention of nosocomial cases of HIV infection;

– prevention of HIV infection among the most vulnerable groups (injecting drug users, men, having sex with men, women, sex workers, sentenced to imprisonment, young people aged from 15 to 24 years);

– improving the national system for monitoring and assessing the HIV / AIDS situation and measures, taken in connection with the spread of HIV infection;

– creation of favorable conditions for ensuring access of the population to HIV prevention services;

– strengthening human resources in the field of HIV prevention.

To meet the target of zero new infections, deaths from AIDS, discrimination is carried out jointly by state, international, public organizations.

1 December – World AIDS Dayohm

Every year, World AIDS Day is celebrated under the motto, which reflect the most relevant aspects of this problem. This year's World Day will be dedicated to women living with HIV.

Why the focus is on women?

– Almost half of all people in the world, living with HIV - women.

– Women are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection and its consequences.

– Most children get HIV from their mothers. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV occurs during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

– HIV / AIDS increases the burden of worries for women. They take care of the family and care for sick members..

– HIV-infected women and children need support themselves, treatment, leaving.

– Women need information, adapted to their needs, which would help them protect their health.

– Men and other members of society will benefit from, if they focus on the well-being and health of women.

Causes.

– Many women and girls are vulnerable to HIV due to the risk-taking behavior of their partners.

– Women get infected from their male partners, who have sex with other partners or who inject drugs.

– Limited economic opportunities force women to earn a livelihood through remunerated sex work.

– Violence against women contributes to the rapid spread of HIV. Violence is unacceptable.

Preventing new HIV infections.

– Raising the level of knowledge on issues, on the impact of HIV.

– Faithfulness in marriage, as from men, and women.

– Availability of HIV / AIDS counseling.

– Safe Behavior Promotion.

– Women living with HIV have a special and important role to play in society in the fight against HIV / AIDS.

Women are a source of inspiration, giving strength and hope to all.

– Women unite families, society and have great potential in the fight against HIV / AIDS.

– Women leaders need to talk about HIV / AIDS.

– Reproductive knowledge of young girls, sexual health and HIV infection, received by them before the onset of sexual activity, reduce the risk of contracting HIV.

– Women can collaborate with various organizations on HIV / AIDS, help people, living with HIV.

HIV infection, like a stone thrown into water, spreads waves around itself, overtaking man first, then his family and society as a whole. And if you do not think about its consequences, but continue to be irresponsible about your health, then it can lead to illness.

We must do our best, to stop the spread of HIV.

What can be done on World AIDS Day

– Conduct a seminar, conference.

– Organize a concert, disco, evening or other cultural and entertainment event.

– Conduct a variety of contests (agitbrigade, posters, drawings, etc.).

– Make a stand.

– Create a thematic exhibition of drawings, posters, wall newspapers or photographs.

– Organize viewing of video materials on the problem of HIV / AIDS.

– Prepare a theatrical performance.

– Organize and host a sporting event.

– Have a single class hour (theme day) and much more.

Humanity has been familiar with HIV infection for over two decades. If at first it was considered, that only certain groups of the population are susceptible to this infection, then experts soon realized, that the new virus was underestimated. The HIV / AIDS epidemic turned out to be much more serious, than previously thought: the scale of the disease has surpassed all unfavorable scenarios of twenty years ago.

Estimated number of people, living with HIV, is over 34 million people. The global HIV / AIDS epidemic has claimed about 30 million human lives. About 3 million people, dies about 2 million adults and children. HIV epidemic is growing rapidly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia; from 2000 by 2009 yy. number of people, living with HIV has almost tripled, and AIDS-related deaths quadrupled.

Over the past years, there has been an upward trend in the number of HIV-infected women. HIV prevalence among young women in Eastern Europe and Central Asia 0,2%, which is higher, than among young people - 0,1%. In Ukraine and Russia 0,3% young women and 0,2% young people living with HIV. In Eastern Europe, the number of new HIV infections among people aged from 15 to 24 years: if in 2004 r. the number of new HIV infections was 476 among young men and 653 among young women, then in 2010 r. was registered 1284 and 2170 cases respectively.

World AIDS Day is dedicated to women and HIV this year.

The mission of World Day is to raise awareness of various issues, on the impact of HIV / AIDS on women and girls.

Women and girls are more susceptible to HIV infection, than men and boys. High vulnerability of women to HIV is due to both biomedical factors, and socio-economic. Due to the biological characteristics of the female body, the likelihood of infection of a woman from a man with a single unprotected sexual intercourse in 2 times higher, than men from women. A woman's vulnerability in the context of the spread of HIV infection, socially and economically, is often related to, what they, due to unequal, dependent position, do not always act as equal partners in sexual relations. Many women are deprived of the opportunity to refuse to have sexual intercourse or insist on the use of means of protection against infectious diseases. Violence against women is a human rights violation and a major health problem worldwide. It increases women's vulnerability to HIV. This also applies to the relationship of spouses in the family., and the facts of sexual harassment at work, and sex work.

Expanding sex work, coupled with women's high vulnerability to HIV, are factors, contributing to the spread of HIV infection among the population.

All over the world it is assumed, what exactly should women do housework and provide care, including sick family members. HIV infection and AIDS significantly increase the burden of care for many women.

A multi-faceted social approach is required to tackle the spread of HIV / AIDS, promotion of moral values, comprehensive education of the younger generation and each person's awareness of responsibility for their own health and the health of their relatives. Трудно защитить все человечество, но начать всегда можно – с себя, со своих близких.

Дополнительную информацию можно получить на сайте www.aids.by

Заведующий отделом

профилактики ВИЧ/СПИД

ГУ РЦГЭиОЗ Е.Г.Фисенко