UNAIDS warns of serious AIDS situation in Ukraine

According to the UN programme on AIDS [UNAIDS], the AIDS epidemic in Ukraine is the most dangerous in Europe with its prevalence standing at more than 1.63%

Coordinator for the UN Mission in Ukraine Francis O’Donnell believes that the present efforts to fight HIV/AIDS by central and local authorities, civic society and donors are not having the necessary impact on the epidemic.

An external assessment of the national response to the epidemic found a number of serious shortcomings, especially where prophylactic measures were concerned.

Preliminary results from this assessment stress the importance of a new nationwide targeted programme for ensuring prophylactic measures to fight HIV, treatment, care and support for those living with HIV or AIDS from 2009-2013.

Mr O’Donnell expresses concern that the overall amount of budget demands for the HIV/AIDS programme may be reduced from 6.5 to 2.2 billion UAH, and says that the UN strongly recommends keeping to the greater figure.

The UN programme also recommends that the deadline for drawing up a programme be extended in order to ensure a more effective National Anti-AIDS programme.

According to figures presented, by the end of 2007 more than 122 thousand cases of HIV infection had been recorded since the beginning of the epidemic in 1987, including more than 22 thousand cases of AIDS and more than 12 thousand people who had died of AIDS.

At present 440 thousand people are living with the HIV infection in Ukraine.

From a report at www.pravda.com.ua