The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the main non-profit health care provider for HIV / AIDS, has completed 5 years of presence in Greece. On the occasion of this event, on Monday 12 March 2018, a working meeting was held involving all the parties involved in HIV treatment in Greece. The meeting was held in the City Hall of the Municipal Council of Athens, in collaboration with the Hellenic Association of HIV-positive people and the Social Solidarity and Health Directorate of the City of Athens and with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Health, HCDCP, the Municipality of Athens , members of parliament, doctors, representatives of the academic community as well as NGO representatives.
During the meeting, the members discussed the achievements of implementing the innovative rapid HIV testing model implemented by the AHF. Leading stakeholders and experts discussed the HIV challenges and priorities in Greece with a view to developing and implementing the National Strategic Plan. The working meeting was opened by Maria Stratigakis, Deputy Mayor of Social Integrity, Welfare and Equality of the City of Athens, stressing the role of local government and in particular municipal practices in halting HIV and promoting prevention and regular screening.
“Through our long-term cooperation with” Positive Voice “and recently with the City of Athens, as AHF Europe we want to deeply understand how we can maximise the results of our five-year investment activity in the country in prevention and review programs. It is important that we succeed in delivering sustainable projects of rapid and free examination and ensure that the issue is ranked as a priority for the Greek state, “said Zoya Shabarova, head of AHF Europe.
Over the past five years in Greece, the AHF Worldwide has invested more than 1,000,000 euros, providing alternative and gratuitous ways of screening for HIV and distributing free condoms. Through the Checkpoint Centres in Athens and Thessaloniki, 300,000 leaflets and 4,500,000 condoms have been distributed and 56,000 free HIV tests, 25,000 Hepatitis B and C examinations, and 2,500 syphilis examinations have been conducted. Through the screening program, 856 people were diagnosed with HIV, 791 for hepatitis C, 187 for hepatitis B and 123 for syphilis.
“During a moment when access to public health programs is difficult,” Checkpoint “has managed to diagnose 30% of all new HIV cases in Greece and contribute to the estimated decrease in the prevalence of HIV in the country, as shown by reducing the number of new diagnoses in the last two years, “said Nikos Dedes, President of the Positive Voice.
In Europe, AHF has begun implementing the Rapid Review Programs in 2009. Since then, more than 1,000,000 people have been screened for free and anonymously for HIV. AHF operates in 39 countries worldwide, providing free treatment and support to over 850,000 people. In 2017, the organisation provided HIV testing services to more than 4,200,000 people worldwide and provided over 40,000,000 free condoms in total.