The International HIV and VHC Testing Week has started in Ukraine
Between November 21 and 28, the International HIV and VHC Testing Week is held simultaneously on five continents in more than 40 countries around the world.
It is estimated that about a million people in Ukraine are not aware of their VHC infection. One in three HIV-positive Ukrainians is not aware of their HIV status.
“Despite nine months of full-scale war, we have not stopped the fight against the invisible enemy, that is epidemics of HIV and VHC, which unfortunately have not disappeared. The first step to defeating the disease is to identify it. Therefore, in this time of war and increased risks of infectious diseases, we keep on supporting screening programs and communicate the importance of regular HIV and VHC testing. We would like to remind that even in wartime, HIV testing is available for patients at family doctor offices or at NGO premises,” says Dmytro Sherembey, Head of CO 100% LIFE
CO 100% LIFE, in joint efforts with the Your Family Doctor project, in partnership with HealthLink, the largest HIV testing project, and the Public Health Center, emphasizes that an HIV test is simple, fast and free of charge.
As part of the International Testing Week, the Your Family Doctor project brought together 20 doctors from different parts of Ukraine who became ambassadors of the project. They will focus on testing people throughout the Week, spreading the word about testing opportunities. They will become ambassadors of the project.
In order to involve and train the healthcare community, the Your Family Doctor project prepared, for the International Testing Week, a list of useful materials that will help doctors involve patients in testing. Ad-hoc creative posters can be downloaded here.
By using the interactive HealthLink project map, everyone can find a convenient location to take an HIV test.
We should mention that the HIV and VHC testing in Ukraine is accessible. People can take a rapid test for VHC and HIV free of charge at family doctor offices. One can also use the fast-testing option at the premises of specialized NGOs.
CO 100% LIFE, the largest patient organization, together with the Public Health Center, has developed a map of VHC testing centers (link). Those healthcare facilities allow free HIV and VHC testing.
Comprehensive information on HIV and VHC, as well as online screening opportunities to identify HIV risks, are available at prozdorovia.in.ua
The International HIV and VHC Testing Week has been launched by Coalition PLUS, a coalition of NGOs, that is fighting HIV and VHC worldwide.
Coalition PLUS is the largest Francophone Coalition that operates in about 50 countries and includes about 100 organizations. CO 100% LIFE, the largest patient organization in Ukraine, joined the Coalition in 2020 and became the Ukrainian provider of the International Testing Week.
