About Program: Scaling up the response to HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan

Scaling up the response to HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan

Taking into account the epidemiological situation regarding HIV/AIDS in the Azerbaijan Republic, the Ministry of Health applied to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and in the result, the Fund adopted a decision about allotment of grant to Azerbaijan to finance 2 years of the 5 years program named “Scaling up the response to HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan”. As a continuation of these steps, it was concluded Grant Agreement and under this agreement, the project regarding strengthening responses against HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan has begun to be fulfilled.

The Ministry of Health is the Principal Recipient of the grant allotted by the Global Fund. The Program is implemented by eight sub-partners (sub-recipients), these are the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sport, UNICEF, Open Society Institute – Azerbaijan, National Center to Fight AIDS, the Republic Narcological Dispensary, National Venereal Dispensary and National Center for Reproductive Health and Family Planning.

The Project was addressed to support the country in achieving the Purposes of Millennium Development regarding improvement of healthy level of the people and protection of health by preventing illness with AIDS and as well as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and their resulted death cases in Azerbaijan. The main purpose of this project is to reduce negative public-economical conflict of epidemy in Azerbaijan, prevalence of HIV/AIDS and its transmission on general population, disease and death cases in the affected vulnerable population groups, including sexual contact between injecting drug users, prisoners, commercially sex workers, men having sex with men, activity mobile people (migrants and refugees) and the youth in this field. To implement this purpose, the project will cover 4 directions: (1) Establishment of knowledge base and strengthening strategic plan to strengthen responses against HIV/AIDS; (2) Strengthening the institutions to control HIV/AIDS/STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections); (3) Regularly increasing to prevent interventions among the vulnerable and relatively vulnerable groups and general population; (4) Reducing HIV transmission and improving life mode of the people living with HIV/AIDS.

Within the project, different informative events other than purchase of medical equipment and medicines are directly carried out. The purpose in implementation of the project is to enlarge the data base in parallel with strengthening the technical base of Azerbaijan. The educating part occupies very large place in the project. This part is carried out by several sub-recipients. Ministry of Education, Open Society Institute, UNICEF, Ministry of Youth and Sport are also among these. Each of these organizations carries communicative campaigns addressed to special groups.

The project will support all efforts protecting use of the poor from the main social services, as well as health services in the Azerbaijan Republic. Being offered by help to the country in reducing HIV/AIDS spread, this project will help improvement of health situation of the citizens of Azerbaijan and relieve the negative social-economical effects of such cases in the country.

The project will help the country to achieve the Purposes of Millennium Development (PMD) related to health to reduce death, disease, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The project especially, will support the National Strategic Plan of Azerbaijan on HIV/AIDS prevention and its prophylactics.

In the large context, HIV/AIDS is understood as an health problem of Azerbaijan and fight against the epidemy as a duty of health sector. In fact, HIV/AIDS is a difficult social issue requiring participation of various respective strata to fight effectively. The project will help the government in mobilization of main strata and employees to prevent HIV/AIDS with joint multisectoral approach. The NGOs supported by the appropriate ministries (for example, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance) and UN Agencies will participate in carrying out the project. Involving of voluntary organizations will be specially supported, because they play effective role in detection of risky groups.

Mass information is less in the reliable sources about HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan. No special education is provided to the youth about this epidemy in schools. Also necessary events are not held for the youth enough out of school. The programs organized for specific groups are not continuous and large. Prevention of the cases mother to child transmission of infection and supply with necessary health equipment are carried low for financial lack.

The project will finance the activities strengthening ability to prepare and plan HIV/AIDS policy of Azerbaijan. Control on HIV/AIDS related law and regulations and purposeful improvements will be supported by the Country Coordinating Mechanism. The selected operative-search will be supported to provide the data base of better activities. The project will help greatly the modernization of monitoring, control and evaluation system. Continuous supply of medicines for treatment of antiretroviral, STI and other infections will unite with the strengthened laboratorial services and show its effect to all AIDS situation.

The project will support all efforts to carry out the second generation monitoring system showing risky behaviors (especially, among highly risky groups) presenting HIV infection and process of the epidemy. Periodical CAP investigations will be executed as a part of behavioral control. Monitoring and Evaluation system for National Program on HIV/AIDS will be placed in one place with quality indications. The project will provide laboratorial equipment, test instruments and trainings and improve the base of the medical laboratories of the Republic to reach the expected rise in volume of tests regarding main HIV/AIDS/STIs (for example, TPHA, VDRL, Elisa, CD4 and CD8).

There will be carried out preventive actions for management of HIV/AIDS/STIs for highly risky groups (IDUs, CSWs, men having sex with men, prisoners, youths, military and STI clinical carrier). The project will initially define these highly risk groups, their share with joint made tasks and non-official networks. After this, the preventive interventions covering information regarding educating and HIV/AIDS/STIs related services will be addressed to these groups. The project will improve quality of STI service and provide free services and especially, better use of the youth and isolated groups from STI services. The main focus will be given to communication campaign for the youth. General population will be provided with preventive actions. To strengthen the supportive base, the project will gather strategic employees (media, religious leaders, community and business heads) and involve them to the informative campaigns.

It should be noted that the expected results of the project includes reduction of prevalence level of AIDS among the found infectious drug users, including stabilization and reduction of AIDS prevalence among the youth, 50 % reduction of mother to child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and 20 % reduction of syphilis transmission.