BUILDING CAPACITY OF PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS TO SCALE UP COMMUNITY BASED HIV COUNCELING AND TESTING

On June 7-8, 2018 a regular meeting of public organizations providing HIV testing and counseling services to the key population groups in Tajikistan was held in Khujand city.

On the first day the participants were introduced to the priorities of the National AIDS Program of Tajikistan for 2017-2020 and discussed epidemiological situation with HIV in the country.

Participants shared their achievements in introduction of HIV testing and counseling and helped initiate treatment and support ARV adherence among clients with newly identified HIV cases.

On the second day of the event, group and individual sessions were held to develop practical skills in organizing pre-test counseling and rapid HIV testing, collection and registration of information and reporting on the work of HIV testing and counseling offices to AIDS centers.

“I always take part in training events of AFEW-Tajikistan with great pleasure. One, having a rich experience in provision of services to key population, may think that nothing new could be added since we now already everything. However trainings organized by AFEW-Tajikistan always prove that there is always space for improvement. There is always something new to learn and achieve in our work and AFEW-Tajikistan always here to support” mentioned Khursheda Samidjanova, the participant of the working meeting, while sharing her experience of this meeting.

The event was organized by the national public organization “AFEW-Tajikistan” in cooperation with the Government Institution “National AIDS Center” under the MHSPN RT as part of the project “Bridging the Gaps: Health and rights of key population-2.0”, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Netherlands.

Note: At present, four public organizations have set up HIV testing and counseling offices with the support of AFEW-Tajikistan and provide rapid HIV testing and counseling services in the city of Dushanbe, Bokhtar, Kulob and Khujand. Two other organizations are completing creation of HIV testing and counseling points under a public organization in the cities of Khorough and Panjakent. As of June 1, 2018 - 1,330 residents of the country have already used the service of HIV testing and counseling offices established under the public organizations. As a result, 7 new HIV cases have been detected and confirmed by AIDS centers and in 9 other cases HIV was confirmed again. Six out of seven patients with newly diagnosed HIV started ARV therapy.

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