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Пресс-релиз
01.12.2009
– The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
Armenia office in partnership with the Government of Armenia
commemorates the World AIDS Day under the theme "Universal
Access and Human Rights".
That means countering any form of HIV-related stigma and
discrimination. It means ensuring access to HIV information
and services for those most in need. It means removing
punitive laws that prevent IDUs, SW, MSM and other
marginalized population to access HIV prevention services,
eliminating laws that discriminate and criminalize based on
HIV status. It means addressing violence against women and
girls.
Michel Sidibe. Executive Director of UNAIDS said "On this WAD we
are filled with both hope and concern. Hope because
significant progress has been made towards universal access.
New HIVinfections have dropped. Fewer children are born with
HIV. And more than 4 million people are on treatment.
Concern because 28 years into the epidemic the virus
continues to make inroads into new populations; stigma and
discrimination continue to undermine efforts to turn back
the epidemic."
"I am pleased that under the leadership of Armenian Government and
Armenian Civil Society and with joint efforts and support
from many other partners and UN organizations in Armenia,
Armenia has managed to make a real progress in keeping the
numerous Government commitments towards achieving the
targets set in 2001 UNGASS declaration of Commitment, 2006
Universal Access General Assembly Political Declaration and
MDG, namely:
* External resources in support of National AIDS response were mobilized
from the GFATM at the amount of around 19 million euro for
the period 2009-2015
* AIDS Law was amended and endorsed in 2009 eliminating mandatory testing
(with exception of blood and organ donors)
* Methadone therapy has been registered in the country and a center for
provision of methadone substitution treatment started
operating at the national Narcological centre in October
2009
* Free-of-charge HIV treatment is provided to all people in need. Six
anti-retroviral drugs are included into the list of
essential drugs to be freely available to persons affected
by the disease.
* The coverage of harm reduction interventions for IDUs is maintained at
60%, the coverage of SWs by HIV prevention interventions has
increased from 25.1% in 2006 to 57% in 2008.
* All HIV infected pregnant women receive a complete course of ARV
prophylaxis
* HIV/TB co infection is now in focus: around 50% of TB patients are
referred for HIV testing
Although all these achievements we still have clear
challenges in front of us:
* The National HIV Program implementation dependence on the external
funding puts at risk sustainable implementation of HIV
prevention and treatment activities, since ART is mainly
covered by the Global Fund resources
* Stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV, affected
people, most at-risk populations remain the main constraint
to an effective response to the epidemic
Success in AIDS programs provides a powerful mechanism for
strengthening health systems and promoting human rights and
development programmes. We must continue doing what works,
but we must also do more with less resource. We must improve
cost efficiency of applied HIV interventions and programs in
order to achieve MDG" said Manoela Grozdanova, UNAIDS
Country Coordinator for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia.
For further information, please contact:
UNAIDS Armenia Office
Tel: (374 10) 54 70 88
(374 91) 20 52 39
E-mail: grozdanovam @ unaids.org
More information about HIV/AIDS situation in the world and in
Armenia could be found at URL: www.unaids.org and
www.armaids.am
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