HIV infection is a chronic infectious disease that occurs as a result of human infection with a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which results is the destruction of cells of the immune system. In order to determine whether an infected person or not, it is necessary to pass HIV testing.

Confirm the presence of HIV in the human body or its absence can only by a special test.

The essence of the HIV test is that it responds to a sufficient amount of antibodies in the blood that is produced in the body for a certain time in the presence of the virus. This period is 3-6 months after infection. If during such research the test will show a positive result, additional (confirmatory) tests should be performed. Only after this doctor can assert the presence of HIV infection in humans. 

Two types of tests are used to detect HIV antibodies in Ukraine:

• Express tests (quick tests) that allow you to get the result after 15-20 minutes without the use of special equipment. For this test blood is taken from the finger.
• IFA tests are conducted only in special laboratories. For this, venous blood is used. Testing is done voluntarily, according to the personal needs of a person.

Through rapid HIV tests, the number of HIV-positive people detected over the past three years has increased from 2,665 to 7,800. More than a third of all PLHIV (34.1% of the total) have learned about their status precisely because of rapid testing. This demonstrates the high level of public confidence in anonymous quick tests and their outcomes. Preventive programs using rapid tests are aimed primarily at key groups for the transmission of HIV and patients with clinical manifestations of the disease.

Free rapid HIV tests are available in all regions of Ukraine controlled by the government. You can be tested in a special center or with help of your family doctor, therapist or pediatrician. Testing lasts about 15 minutes, of which 10 - the expectation of the result.

If HIV is diagnosed on time, you can save quality and high-quality lives through antiretroviral therapy. Ukraine fully provides free treatment for all patients with HIV. It is worth recalling that more than 40% of HIV-infected Ukrainians do not know about their status.

According to the European Center of Disease Control and Prevention and the European Regional Office of the World Health Organization, the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which Ukraine also belongs to, is the only one in the world where the number of new cases of HIV infection and deaths from AIDS continues to increase

In the beginning of 2018th, there were 244,000 HIV-positive people in Ukraine. It means that every 100th of a citizen of Ukraine 15-49 years old is infected with HIV/ This is one of the highest rates among the countries of the region. As of 01.01.2019, in the health care facilities of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, there were 142 061 HIV-infected Ukrainian citizens (336.5 per 100 000 population) under medical supervision, including 46 380 AIDS patients (109.9).

Effective overcoming of the HIV epidemic requires timely and reliable information on the prevalence of HIV among key population groups (CGs). Integrated bio-behavioral research (IBPD) is a strategically important public health tool that provides an integrated assessment of the HIV epidemic process among the COs and provides quality information for the planning and implementation of preventive and anti-epidemic measures.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the Strategic Plan for ensuring the sustainability of integrated bio-behavioral research in Ukraine (2018-2021), developed at the initiative of the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine in the framework of the SILab project "Support for the HIV Surveillance System and the Quality Management / Quality Improvement Laboratories of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Improvement using strategic information and building public health potential. "

In Ukraine, more than 40% of people with HIV do not know about their status. As of 01.01.2019, were 242,000 people living with HIV in Ukraine, of whom 40.3% received ART, and 35.9% received ART for more than six months and reached an uncertain level of viral load.

At the beginning of 2018, in Ukraine in medical institutions were registered 141 371 people. The coverage rate of PLHIV who are aware of their status under medical surveillance has reached 79%, but almost half of the people with the first-ever HIV-infection go to medical institutions already at III-IV clinical stages.

One of the major problems in the fight against HIV infection in Ukraine is the lack of a unified approach to the mechanism for collecting and processing information in public health facilities at the national, regional and local levels.

In connection with this, the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine initiated the development and implementation of the Medical Information System for HIV (MIS). The MIS of HIV includes the creation of a single data warehouse for epidemiological surveillance of HIV / AIDS, the results of medical observation for PLHIV, which will facilitate the optimization of monitoring and evaluation, planning of procurement, accounting and control of medical products. 

The development of the MIS of HIV included the following goals:

• increasing the accuracy of medical information about patients and minimizing mistakes;
• collecting and storing information about the health of PLHIV and the medical services provided to them;
• optimizing budget management and monitoring logistics of ARVs;
• provide the doctor with relevant data on the health of PLHIV in time;
• providing information support to the system of epidemiological surveillance and clinical monitoring.

During the development of the MIS of HIV, particular attention was paid to data protection in accordance with the requirements of Ukrainian legislation. In order to protect against unauthorized access, deletion, distortion of data or loss of access to them, an integrated information security system was developed.

At the national level, the system allows for the introduction of a unified approach to the codification of PLHIV, avoiding multiple registration, controlling the needs for medicines and medical products, and increasing the efficiency and reliability of information on the state of the HIV epidemic in Ukraine. At the local level, the use of the system guarantees a reduction in the number of errors during the filling of medical records and the efficiency of the exchange of information. At the regional level - it makes it possible to record and audit medical products and medical devices in the medical center.

We are faced with fake information every day. In something we believe, and something we reject at once. The most effective method of combating myths and their destructive effects is to check information with using official and reliable sources. We offer to your attention a selection of the most popular myths about HIV / AIDS:

HIV is transmitted with kissing, coughing and sneezing - myth!

Saliva, sputum, tears, sweat, urine, and vomit can not become a cause of HIV infection. Also absolutely safe are hugs and handshakes.

• You can be infected with a virus through household items - dishes, clothes, telephone, toilet, etc. - myth!

This is not possible in the same way as infection through food prepared by an HIV-infected person.

• HIV can be picked up through insect bites - myth!

Mosquitoes, flies, bugs, lice can not tolerate the immune deficiency virus.

• HIV can be infected through the wool of a cat, a dog's bite or contact with a wild animal - myth!

Animals can not tolerate the immune deficiency virus.

• Anal sex can not be the cause of infection - myth!

Any sexual contact without a condom (anal, vaginal, oral) can become the cause of infection.

• HIV can not get infected in beauty salons - myth!

Any tools that are used repeatedly for injections, piercings, tattoos, can become the cause of infection. Make sure the wizard has sterilized the tools.

• HIV is not transmitted from mother to child - myth!

HIV is transmitted during pregnancy and childbirth, during breastfeeding from an HIV-infected woman to a child, if they do not use prophylaxis.

Take care of yourself and check the information.