HIV-positive Kyrgyzstanis to be treated with unique in region medications

«A new clinical protocol has been adopted. From 2018, people with HIV infection will be treated with drugs that are practically not yet available in the region,» Aybar Sultangaziev, Executive Director of the Association Partner Network, said today at a conference of 24.kg news agency.

According to him, the state is ready to start buying drugs for HIV treatment in 2019. «For more than 10 years, this has been done at the expense of donors. Another plus — the state program provides for the purchase of drugs for the treatment of HIV-infected people with hepatitis C. At the expense of public funds, 100 people a year will receive treatment. This is a huge breakthrough at the level of the region, there is not such treatment in the same Russia or Kazakhstan. We hope that at the end of 2017, the medicines will be already purchased,» Aybar Sultangaziev said.

«At the same time, the question of financing remains urgent. Due to lack of money, programs are almost three times reduced. And we do not really understand how we will work with key vulnerable groups. Even if the state allocated 20 million soms additionally for HIV in 2017, and in 2018 it adds as much as it is, this is catastrophically small sum. At least 100 million soms should be allocated in a year. If this does not happen, we will have an HIV epidemic, like in Russia. There are already 1.2 million citizens, or 1 percent of the population, suffering from this disease,» he added.

At present, there are 7,663 HIV-positive cases registered in Kyrgyzstan, 7,264 — are among the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic. According to estimates of experts, there are 8,500 such patients in the republic.