On May 22-23, 2015 in the city of Yerevan, Armenia ECUO with the support of UNFPA and UNAIDS initiated the regional work meeting titled «Strengthening Coordination and Advocacy of Regional Unions and Networks of Key Populations to Achieve “90-90-90” in Eastern Europe and Central Asia». In the meeting participated representatives of regional community networks and civil society organizations as well as representatives of UNAIDS, UNFPA and Office of Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
During the meeting the audience discussed issues on development of regional measures in the field of achieving «90-90-90» targets and overcoming barriers on the way to implement them, community mobilisation and human rights, challenges for adolescents and young people in the HIV care continuum. Beside this, the representatives of regional organizations presented their activities on the regional level in the field of extending the HIV testing, including the HIV testing on the basis of community NGOs.
The participants divided in three small groups developed their propositions on the following topics:
- achieving the «90% of PLWH who know their status, receive treatment» and «90% of PLWH who receive treatment, have an undetectable viral load»
- program sustainability
- community mobilisation and human rights.
After the results of the team work were presented, the participants developed the roadmap for joint actions of regional networks according to target audiences, diseases and directions (see the Annex).
Summing up the results of the meeting, the participants pointed out the importance of the focus on HIV/AIDS treatment and expanding HIV-treatment in the joint work of the regional networks of communities. The tasks not associated with the expansion of the HIV treatment, can be implemented by the networks within the framework of other initiatives on advocacy and human rights. Progress in stopping the HIV/AIDS epidemic of in the EECA region requires urgent action, so the focus on access to a continuum of services in connection with the HIV-infection is mandatory for overcoming the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the EECA region!
