Since 2000, Central Asia has witnessed a steady growth of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The already high rate of sexually transmitted diseases, growing drug addiction and lack of state resources have made the region even more vulnerable to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Currently, the official number of HIV/AIDS infected persons in Kyrgyzstan is 669, while the figure for Uzbekistan is 5,680 and for Tajikistan 370. However, according to local and international experts, real figures are several times higher.

Representatives of health care systems and NGOs of the three Central Asian states gathered to develop a four-year program to combat and prevent the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the region, RFE/RL reports. In addition to unsafe practices among drug users such as needle sharing, as the participants of the meeting noted, the location of the Central Asian region on the drug trafficking chain stretching from Afghanistan to Russia and Europe heightens the risk of a large-scale HIV/AIDS outbreak in the region.

According to the Kyrgyz Minister of Health Mitalip Mamytov, another important problem is the lack of information among the local population with regard to HIV/AIDS. “Firstly, there is a lack of information. Secondly, preventive measures and explanatory work is not being carried out properly. In addition, poor living conditions among local population and the drug route which runs through the southern regions is intensifying the situation”, RFE/RL reported Mamytov as saying. The Deputy Minister of Health of Tajikistan, Zievuddin Avgonov, agreed with his colleague saying that campaign against HIV/AIDS would be successful only when every person knows what HIV/AIDS is, how it is transmitted and how dangerous it is. Therefore, the participants of the meeting stressed the importance of including the launch of an extensive information campaign on HIV/AIDS among the local populations. They also pointed out the necessity of involving NGOs into this campaign and rendering them technical assistance.

In the meantime, The Global Fund against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria granted Kyrgyzstan US$17 million to fight these diseases. Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Toktobubu Aitikeeva and Program Manager of the Global Fund Valeriy Chernyavskiy said that due to this financial assistance, Kyrgyzstan now has a chance to stop the spread of these diseases and halt the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 2006, Kabar News Agency reported. The first installment in the amount of US$3,2 million has been made.

Valeriy Chernyavskiy said that Kyrgyzstan is at present at the early stage of the HIV epidemic, however, the rapid growth of new infections in the southern regions of the country is alarming. Traditionally, no treatment has been offered to HIV-infected patients due to the absence of state resources and the high cost of antiretroviral medication. Fortunately, the Global Fund’s support stands to remedy this situation. In an interview with RFE/RL, Elden Kalchakeev, representative of the Global Fund, said that US$79,000 were spent for the purchase of antiretroviral facilities. From now on antiretroviral treatment will be available for all HIV/AIDS infected persons free of charge.

669 HIV-infected persons in Kyrgyzstan, of whom 586 are Kyrgyz citizens and 83 are foreigners, are going to benefit from the financial assistance provided by the Global Fund. Government representatives, the National AIDS Center and National Phthisiology Center decided to create a united structure with a common secretariat with the aim of better coordination of the management of these funds and ensuring transparency.