BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coinciding with the European HIV Nursing Conference (EHNC 2016), which is being hosted in Barcelona, Spain on Nov. 18-19 by the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) in partnership with the European HIV Nursing Network (EHNN), National HIV Nurses Association (NHIVNA) and AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), AHF and IAPAC signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening the role and leadership of allied HIV healthcare professionals in Eastern Europe.
The eastern part of Europe is disproportionately affected by HIV. The region is experiencing rising HIV infections, low HIV treatment coverage and challenges with healthcare staffing and resources. To help address these challenges, AHF Europe has a strong operational presence in Estonia, Russian Federation and Ukraine, with a combined total of 43,802 patients in care and over 150,000 people who have been tested for HIV in 2016. Through its programs in the region, AHF Europe is able to implement patient centered programs in line with its global mission to provide cutting-edge medicine to those in need, and its advancement of implementation of “Test and Treat” strategy across the world.
“The MoU with IAPAC provides a much-needed platform for exchange of good practices among nurses from different regions of Europe,” said Anna Zakowicz, Deputy Bureau Chief of AHF Europe. “It also supports a competitive approach, increases motivation of medical teams for applying successful teamwork, implementing patient-centered care, optimizing HIV services and as a result improving HIV treatment and care outcomes for the patients.”
“We enthusiastically welcome the participation of delegations of healthcare teams from Eastern Europe, a region where the burden of HIV and AIDS continues to grow,” said Dr. Benjamin Young, the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of IAPAC. “Eliminating AIDS as a public health threat will require fully implementing universal HIV treatment as recommended in the World Health Organization and IAPAC guidelines, and recognizing that stigma, discrimination and criminalization are critical barriers to HIV testing and treatment.”
Through a competition organised in three Eastern European countries, medical teams including nurses, feldshers, social workers and medical doctors from Estonia, Russia and Ukraine were able to participate in the EHNC 2016. They presented abstracts related to task shifting and differentiated care approaches, and shared their experiences of supporting people living with HIV during a special session with a focus on Eastern Europe. Through onsite translation and live streaming, care providers in the Russian-speaking countries had the opportunity to follow and engage in the sessions and learn about developments in HIV nursing care.
“It is fantastic that internationally we are continuing to endeavor to work towards UNAIDS targets of 90x90x90, despite global challenges,” said Michelle Croston, Chair of the National HIV Nursing Association (UK). “I would urge us to consider adding another 90, which focuses on holistic wellbeing for people living with HIV. Meetings such as this provide a forum for strengthening our commitment to this happening.”
Ian Hodgson from the European HIV Nursing Network said, “International meetings such as the European HIV Nursing Conference offer key opportunities to share evidence of best practice in HIV care, strengthen nursing leadership, and develop frameworks for integrated approaches with civil society organisations supporting people living with HIV.”
“Strengthening the workforce with a focus on task shifting and an increased role of nurses in providing HIV care are essential and important elements to achieve AHF’s 20x20 campaign goal of having at least 20 million people on life-saving treatment by 2020 globally,” said Zoya Shabarova, Bureau Chief of AHF Europe. “This collaboration with IAPAC will bring about much needed transformation in the service delivery in Eastern Europe and hopefully will bring all of us closer to controlling the HIV epidemic in this part of the globe.”
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 645,000 individuals in 37 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare
