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Number of Women with HIV/AIDs Increasing in Georgia

December 18, 2013
 
Shorena Kakabadze, Imereti

According to the recent surveys in Georgia, number of women with HIV Infection has increased. 113 out of 443 patients revealed in 2013 are women. 85 of them died.

Most cases of HIV infection are observed in Tbilisi. Samegrelo, Adjara and Imereti are next on the list. “The number of infected people increased in Imereti region in 2011-2012. We do not know statistics from 2013 yet. As for women, the index is really alarming. Number of infected women is increasing that really creates a threat of epidemic. Considering all these circumstances, much has been done in our countries. Every pregnant woman, who gets registered, is tested in the third week and if the infection is detected, she is involved in the so called supervision process. Everything is done to protect the new-born child from the infection,” head of Imereti Department of National Center for Disease Control and Public Healthcare Gocha Giorgidze told humanrights.ge.

He, as big part of experts, believes that participation of the civil sector in the process is very important. Giorgidze thinks that involvement of the nongovernmental organizations in the program, aiming at working with risk-groups, is very effective. The risk groups are drug-addicts, commercial sexual workers, etc. “It is urgently important to protect women. Why? Because women give births to children, who might also get infected. Commercial sexual workers create serious threat. The role of the Georgian Harm Reduction is huge, which works in the field very actively. I think, prophylactic programs have significant role. We will avoid spread and new facts of HIV infection with active work,” said psychologist Dali Usharidze, head of Center for Psycho-Social Information and Consultation “New Way.”

Specialists clarify that the earlier HIV infection is detected, the more chance the patient has to completely recover – it means the infection will not turn into the acute deficiency of immunity – AIDs.

Nongovernmental sector actively works in this direction. Their services are also diverse. The fact, that there is no epidemic in the country, where the HID Virus exists since 1989, is result of successfully implemented prophylactic programs and work. 

Zurab Tatanashvili, advocacy coordinator of the Georgian Harm Reduction Network: “Currently we implement gender project, which is implemented in seven countries throughout the world. The project aims to improve health of drug-addict women and to implement damage reduction programs and services. In fact, we offer new services to few people but assist already implementing programs to cover more female beneficiaries. Recently we decided to involve gynecologist in the program. Women are the same target group in the global fund project as men. We assist the Global Fund to reach many women and provide them with more services. So, our scheme is integrated in ongoing projects and services.”

14 centers are functioning throughout the country, which offer different services to beneficiaries and Global Fund is the only financial source for them. Experts think the Fund supported Georgia not to be on the same level as other countries with the rating of HIV Infection. However, the Fund is eventually reducing the funding that is appropriated strategy in many countries of the world. “When country is developing and progressing, it takes social and medical responsibility, which previously was insured by different donor organizations. Global’s programs were assigned to the Center for Disease Control for management; HIV Infection – AIDs program is one of them. In future, the state funding will replace the donor’s funding. I do not know the strategy and future plans of the Global. It is clear that if state funding is under risk, and the country faces epidemic threat, the Global will continue funding,” said Gocha Giorgidze.

Global funded programs are eventually assigned to the National Center. The state started consideration of filling in empty zones, which are not covered by nongovernmental sector. For the disease prevention, free screening (initial lab researches) is implemented. Any person can take test, which is absolutely confidential and free – representatives of the Western Georgia’s Center for Infection Pathology. “It is very important to timely detect the disease and start treatment in order to protect other people to get infected. When treatment starts, immunity is increasing and virus is mitigating. Consequently, threat of virus transfer is also less,” doctor-infectionist Nino Benidze at the Regional Branch of Tbilisi Center for HIV/AIDS and Immunology said.

Nongovernmental organizations continue active work on the harm reduction. As a result, increase of new cases is stable and there is no threat of epidemics. However, as specialists said, much should be done. In order to reduce the new cases to zero, both quality and scales of the prophylactic programs focused on high-risk groups shall be increased. And the state shall play the key role in it. 

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