Counseling and testing for HIV: training for doctors of hospitals of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took place in Odessa

On September 15-17 in Odessa, representatives of the International Institute of HIV / AIDS and Tuberculosis conducted a training "Counseling and testing for HIV using rapid multitests in the Armed Forces of Ukraine", organized for doctors of hospitals of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 16 medical workers from Vinnytsia, Odesa, Lviv, Mykolayiv and Volodymyr-Volynskyi took part in this training. 

The main purpose of the event was to improve skills in HIV counseling and testing using rapid multitests. Experts who have been working in the field of combating the spread of HIV / AIDS in Ukraine for many years were involved in the training, including Natalia Kozhan, a lecturer at the PL Shupik National University of Health of Ukraine, Olga Stas, a microbiologist in the laboratory department of the National Military Laboratory in "Main Military Clinical Hospital" and Tatiana Rybak, medical director of "Odessa Regional Center for Socially Significant Diseases".

Participants of theoretical and practical classes discussed the epidemiology of HIV infection; counseling on HIV treatment; a comprehensive package of services provided to HIV-positive people; dispensary supervision of HIV-infected persons, methods and algorithms of treatment of HIV / AIDS and opportunistic diseases; confidentiality of medical information, rights and responsibilities of HIV-infected people. In addition, all participants trained in practice to conduct pre- and post-test counseling.

Based on the results of the training, the organizers decided to consider the possibility of conducting these trainings for specialists of laboratories of hospitals of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.