STOP AIDS!

Since 1988, the World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1, according to the decision of the UN General Assembly.

The terrible disease known to humankind since 1981 has claimed the lives of 35 million people. Currently, more than 36.7 million people worldwide live with HIV / AIDS.

Thanks to the efforts of doctors, HIV / AIDS have ceased to be an exclusively deadly disease. Although it is impossible to cure HIV, the relevant medicines practically nullify lethal outcome.

Director of the Republican Centre for AIDS Control under the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan, Esmira Almammadova, told us about the fight against HIV / AIDS in Azerbaijan and the prevention measures. 

What is the situation with HIV / AIDS in Azerbaijan?

If compared with CIS countries and Eastern Europe, the situation in Azerbaijan is more favorable. Azerbaijan belongs to countries with relatively low population loss and the prevalence of HIV infection. At the same time, HIV continues to spread, we identify new infected people, and there is no reason to calm down. A lot has been done in Azerbaijan to stop the HIV epidemic. The State Program on AIDS Control for 2016-2020 covers the widest range of issues - training, the operation of a network of voluntary and free HIV testing points and so on. In 2016, 585,200 people were tested for HIV in Azerbaijan. 49.4 thousand were tested using the express testing method. HIV was detected in approximately one case per thousand people.

Azerbaijan is one of the leading countries implementing the best practices in combatting HIV. The World Health Organization (WHO) is constantly updating recommendations on preventing the spread of HIV / AIDS. To date, the global HIV strategy has set a specific goal of "90-90-90". That is, by 2020, 90% of HIV-positive people should be aware of their status, 90% of those infected should receive antiretroviral therapy, and 90% of patients undergoing treatment should have a suppressed viral load. Leading international organizations of the world work on this goal. A lot of work has been done in Azerbaijan through both the Ministry of Health and WHO, the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The tactical approaches to fighting HIV are improving all the time. Previously, treatment began when the patient's immunity was reduced to a certain level, and severe infections threatening his life were manifested. Now, WHO strongly recommends starting treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ARV therapy) once a person has been diagnosed with HIV. Early treatment aims to prevent the development of serious, life-threatening diseases. When carrying out therapy, the level of the virus in the body decreases so much that a person does not pose a danger to others in terms of transmission of infection. Treatment of HIV infection does not provide recovery, but it can suppress viral load. As a result, people with HIV can lead a normal life; create a family, and give birth to healthy children. Azerbaijan has great experience in conducting ARV therapy. It is very important that, despite far from expensive medicines and examination, the state has laid the burden of guaranteed testing and lifelong treatment of HIV infection. All this is done to stop the spread of the disease in the country. Since 1987, when the first case of AIDS was discovered in Azerbaijan, 6,575 people with HIV infection were officially registered at the National AIDS Center. In total, 5,510 people living with HIV are involved in ARV therapy.

Treatment is effective when a patient complies with the rules for taking medications. Given that 47% of infected people are drug users, it is very difficult to control the compliance of these people to daily intake of medications. 

How do you identify HIV-positive people?

First, we promote the need to pass HIV testing. This is a key moment in combating HIV / AIDS. There is a quick and reliable method of determining if a person is infected or not. This is the express test method, which returns a highly probable answer regarding the HIV status of a person just in 15 minutes. For several years, the Republican AIDS Center, with the support of the Ministry of Health, has conducted mass voluntary testing and HIV counseling throughout the country. Our actions are held in shopping centers, bus stations, higher educational institutions, private and public institutions. The testing events are timed to coincide with World AIDS Day, Memorial Day for AIDS Victims, which is celebrated annually on the third Sunday of May, and the "European Week of HIV Testing". We also conduct the National HIV Testing Week. One campaign smoothly passes into another, and throughout a year, thousands of people are tested in various enterprises and institutions. This work is particularly important at high schools, where testing mainly involves young, sexually active people. Another important area is risk groups. By risk groups we mean drug users, people with non-traditional sexual orientation and representatives of sex business. We have mobile laboratories for conducting tests in this environment. Together with NGOs, AIDS service organizations, these mobile laboratories leave for places where risk groups are gathered. We carry out the tests on spot. In addition, we provide them with printed materials and the means of protection against HIV. Representatives of risk groups are also involved in the survey using the peer-to-peer method, when one of the former participants in their circle leads the campaign.

The frequency of detection of infection in risk groups is much higher than in the general population.

Recently, a man was tried in Italy, who intentionally infected about 20 women. Have we had a case of deliberate HIV transmission?

We often hear about serial killers, maniacs, crimes committed by people with abnormal mentality. Fortunately, no case of deliberate infection of other persons has been recorded in Azerbaijan. By the way, according to our legislation, deliberate spread of HIV is subject to punishment. Victims must initiate such court trials themselves. But this does not happen, as the victim is afraid that everyone knows about the infection, and he or she can suffer from discrimination.

Can you describe the social portrait of an HIV-positive person in Azerbaijan?

At the peak of the epidemic in the world, HIV in Azerbaijan has mainly spread among drug users. It is clear that drug users have sexual partners. Since 2008, in Azerbaijan, same as in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and other countries, statistics of parenteral infection (through the use of syringes, etc.) began to decrease and the statistics of infection through sexual intercourse is increasing. The fact that this trend was identified is the result of careful work in the risk groups. The increase in cases of sexual transmission was reflected in the fact that the percentage of HIV-infected women increased. By the way, in recent years, this infection spreads in a socially safe environment. That is, HIV is not a disease of marginalized groups anymore.

We periodically hear that the scientists are about to create a vaccine against AIDS.

There are no more or less convincing evidence that the vaccine is created in the near future. We have heard rumors about the vaccine long ago, and we want to believe that it will be created soon or later. But the HIV epidemic has a behavioral character. In fact, it is easy to protect yourself against the infection if you observe elementary precautionary rules.

Many people are interested in the first symptoms of this disease...

The problem is that HIV has a very long asymptomatic period. If the symptoms appear, they are not specific for HIV. It can be symptoms of tuberculosis, pneumonia or something else. The only way to check for HIV is to be tested and to determine your HIV status. In recent years, progress has been made regarding the HIV survey in the public mind. If earlier people were asked to undergo testing, now the people approach our employees for tests. Everyone should know his or her HIV status. International organizations set a goal by 2030 to defeat HIV / AIDS in the world. I hope we will manage to fulfill this very difficult task.