An integrated report of researchers from the Institute on Public Health Policy, based on the results of the study, conducted in 7 countries of the EECA region in 2019-2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic was published.
The emergence of a new coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19, creates an extra burden for people living with HIV (PLWH), who face numerous health problems and may be subject to an increased risk of developing a serious disease, caused by COVID-19.
Maintaining the level of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services combined with permanent detection of cases and rapid inclusion of the newly diagnosed PLWH in life-long treatment is critically important to protect big global investments and further progress in fighting the HIV epidemic. If no efforts are made to eliminate irregular healthcare provision, a 6-month break in ART can lead to more than 500 000 additional deaths from AIDS-related diseases.
This study was conducted to assess changes in the HIV testing rates, HIV detection and ART administration to new patients in seven countries of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region at the national and local levels in 2019-2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Geographically, the study covered the following countries (cities and regions): the Kyrgyz Republic (Osh), the Republic of Belarus (Minsk, Solihorsk and Svitlohorsk), the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Tajikistan (Dushanbe), the Russian Federation (St. Petersburg and Kalininhrad, Novosibirsk, Sverdlovsk, Cheliabinsk regions) and Ukraine.
In order to meet the study purpose, the statistics was compiled to learn a possible change in key figures for the period of 2019-2020 in the context of restrictive measures, related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative data by way of in-depth interviews and local documentary database were also collected to establish a link between reductions in the values of key figures and the effect of restrictive measures.
An analytical report was prepared and published within the regional project “Stability of services for key groups in the EECA region”, implemented by a consortium of organizations from the EECA region under tenure of ICF “Public Health Alliance” with financial support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.