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Success stories

Irina Kutsenko: I was a deputy who closed the sites of OST and LGBT organizations

Irina Kutsenko, a deputy of the Odessa City Council dealing with social issues in the city, received an international award #InYourPower. She became the first and so far the only government official nominated by civil society.

In an exclusive interview, she shared her story: about why she stayed on the sidelines for a long time and closed the OST sites and LGBT organizations; how she came to understand the importance of supporting the city’s HIV/TB program and the work of harm reduction programs, why it significantly helps to improve the health of citizens; about the experience of cooperation with non-governmental organizations, about building a dialogue with medical and security agencies; about conversations on inconvenient topics with deputies, as well as how to prioritize these issues on the municipal agenda and launch an information campaign that the city media will talk about.

So, now Irina Kutsenko is an active defender of community rights at the level of city authorities, a person with tremendous energy and extraordinary willpower. She continues to initiate changes in the city in relation to the most vulnerable groups of the population. She does everything to bring medical and social services in Odessa closer to the most advanced global approaches to harm reduction and combating HIV/TB . But it was not always like that.

“I was the deputy who closed the site of substitution therapy in my district, I collected signatures from people against gay culture and its spread in our city, that is, I was a deputy who conducted completely different activities,” says Irina. But after completing the course of the International Harm Reduction Academy, she began to actively dig into the problem: “I started reading in the Internet, listening to interviews of people, listening to life stories, and I understood that I was wrong!”.

Having changed her personal understanding of the problem and the ways to solve it, Irina gradually begins to cooperate with public organizations to make Odessa a safer city and people more socially protected.

“When representatives of a public organization came to me with a harm reduction project in the city, I already understood what they were talking about. At that moment, I realized that the NGO today knows more than any of the officials. At first I was just listening,” the deputy recalls.

The first task of Irina Kutsenko and members of the public was to find a common language, when everyone is doing their own thing. “We needed everyone – doctors, authorities, and public organizations – to unite into one common work,” she recalls. “Before, everyone was separate.”

The main step towards changing the situation in the city was the fact that disparate society representatives began to communicate. The dialogues took place with the participation of deputies, in the mayor’s office, with the necessary arguments and eloquent statistics, which were often hidden or uninformative for the authorities. As a result of this work, the mayor of the city supported the initiative, and today in Odessa steps are purposefully implemented within the framework of the already signed Paris Declaration. Odessa is also the first city in Ukraine to take on commitments under the Zero TB Cities initiative and is systematically moving towards overcoming the tuberculosis and HIV epidemics. In 2 years, this results from joint efforts and a radical increase in the effectiveness of tuberculosis treatment through the provision of treatment “at primary care” – from 52% to 71%.

However, as the mayor of Odessa Gennady Trukhanov said, it was not easy for the city itself. The deputies debated heatedly during two sessions. The city authorities, in addition to local everyday problems, also need to tackle global challenges, in particular – to help medical workers in the fight against epidemics. After all, everyone is interested in this. “Mayors are assessed by the state of the city: roads, roofs, warmth, comfortable public space. This is all true. And we can achieve cleanliness in the cities, but with the spread of all dangerous infections in the world, God forbid, the time may come when there will be no one to walk along these roads,” the Odessa mayor emphasized.

Also, within the framework of the program, outpatient treatment of tuberculosis was introduced instead of in-patient model, and medical practitioners began to actively test visitors for HIV at polyclinics, educational institutions, and purchased a large number of tests. Thus, the city was able to increase the HIV detection rate and provided an opportunity to make treatment available for people.

“Of course, there are still many problems, but, step by step, we are changing the situation in the city,” says Irina Kutsenko. “We understand that the projects are coming to an end, but those declarative things that were signed by the mayor, and we, as deputies, will have to implement both in this convocation and in the next one, because this is a matter of the life of our citizens”.

Interview timecode:

00:01 – a short content of the interview, consisting of vivid statements of the charismatic deputy

00:58 – how it all began

02:13 – dialogue with the people who need help

04:05 – meeting of the fraction:

“Well, guys, I’m going to tell you something completely different now … We must legalize sex work and open substitution therapy sites. They thought I was crazy. “

05:23 – dialogue with public organizations, the mayor and the Paris Declaration: Odessa approach

08:45 – HIV and TB, stigma and treatment initiation under a motivation program for health workers

11:28 – projects “go away”, but the issue of people’s lives remains on the agenda

11:45 – harm reduction services in municipal pharmacies in Odessa

12:40 – how the city HIV / TB program was developed for 65 million hryvnia

15:02 – life hacks and shame: how NGOs helped convince MPs to support the city’s HIV/TB programs

17:15 – “It’s all right with the Duke “: mural, media resonance and HIV testing

18:56 – creation of the second center of integrated social services for harm reduction in Ukraine (the first is in Sumy)

19:17 – new format of cooperation with law enforcement agencies

19:43 – “we are on the sidelines until they explain to us”

22:45 – “speak a simple language”

23:00 – how to calculate the budget of the city program

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Treat HIV, live and be yourself: more than 74 thousand people in 4 regions of Russia have not started ARV treatment yet!

In October, in the 4 largest regions of Russia, a large-scale information campaign #InYourPowerLife was launched (vsilah.ru).

Mission of the campaign: to show people living with HIV that the therapy gives a chance to be themselves, to live long in love and support of loved ones, regardless of HIV status. This is reflected in the slogan “HIV won’t change this”.

The site of the vsilah.ru information campaign contains the “capsules” with 12 encouraging stories told by people. By opening the capsule, you can find out about the lifestyle of the person living with HIV, find more facts about ARV therapy, and get help from peer counselors.

The campaign was initiated and implemented by the organizations “Humanitarian Action” (St. Petersburg), “Humanitarian Project” (Novosibirsk), the “Source of Hope” Foundation in Chelyabinsk (Chelyabinsk), the Regional Public Foundation “New Life” (Yekaterinburg).

Also, non-governmental and government organizations, information platforms, major bloggers and opinion leaders are involved in the project.

“It is only through joint efforts that our society has a chance to get rid of the many stigmas associated with HIV. And we will fight for every life,” notes Humanitarian Action.

The focus on Novosibirsk, Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk regions and the city of St. Petersburg was not occasionally chosen. Almost 200 thousand people with HIV live in these regions, which is about 20% of all registered HIV cases in Russia. Of these, almost 74 thousand do not dare to start the life-saving treatment. The heroes of the campaign “It’s in your power to live” tell why it is still important to make up your mind.

– “In Novosibirsk region, more than 10 thousand people have not started ARV treatment. If they don’t start taking therapy, they will die. The World Health Organization stated: HIV is not sexually transmitted if an HIV-positive person is on therapy and has an undetectable viral load. The epidemic will stop when all HIV-positive people are on therapy. If you know you are HIV-positive but are not receiving treatment, please contact us for help. We will help with the registration at the AIDS Center, this is our role in our common work. And the treatment is provided free of charge at the expense of the state,” says Denis Kamaldinov, head of the Humanitarian Project public organization.

– “In Sverdlovsk region, more than 12 thousand people have not started ARV treatment. Some of these people, due to clamps and discrimination in society, simply neglect their health and, most importantly, their lives, and many do not even know about their HIV status. Only together we have a chance to change something. And we will fight for every life,” says Vera Kovalenko, head of the New Life Public Foundation.

“During the period of self-isolation, we consulted people on HIV issues online and delivered the therapy to people who could not go for it themselves. We do not stop our work, no matter what, our mission is to fight for every life, to give hope. We are ready to help everyone get the necessary therapy, help with the registration at the AIDS Center. Moreover, today the treatment for HIV infection is available, and it is provided at the expense of the state. Taking therapy, a person reaches an undetectable viral load, which means (s)he can live a long time, not transmit HIV and give birth to healthy children. Only through joint efforts there is a chance to get rid of HIV-related fears, discrimination and stigma in society,” says Alexei Tananin, General Director of the Source of Hope Foundation.

The information campaign “It is in your power to live” is designed to solve three main tasks: bring more HIV-positive people to ARV therapy; make it clear that the diagnosis does not define the essence of the person; to remind that the love of loved ones, in fact, is unconditional. And #hivwon’tchangethis.

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#DudEffect: for the first time the journalist is nominated for the international #InYourPower award

Public interest and increased demand in HIV testing caused by Yury Dud film prompted for the initiators of the international #InYourPower award to re-consider approaches to selection of nominees.

And it was quite expected decision that for the first time a journalist and a blogger Yury Dud became a nominee for the award, which previously was awarded only for mayors and politicians working in the area of combating HIV. And the nomination for Yury Dud is one of a kind – #DudEffect.

«We decided to support the decision to nominate Yury Dud for #InYourPower award. It’s simply impossible to pay no attention to such worldwide landmarking awareness raising effect in the area of HIV. This case drew attention of the highest public officials in Russian Federation and proved that you don’t necessarily need to be a politician to impact epidemics. First of all, you need to be involved and have something core inside in order to put your gift and media opportunities for the sake of millions of people who will stay alive as a result of timely testing. We are sure that such stories can drastically speed up overcoming the epidemics», – said Inna Gavrylova, the coordinator of the #InYourPower info campaign.

For the moment the application for nomination is sent to the Committee of Trust and will be reviewed during 2 weeks. Everyone who is willing to support Yury Dud and give a vote to him can do this at the web site https://inyourpower.life.

Prehistory

«From the very first day when HIV-2020 film was demonstrated we started to get requests from different countries to nominate Yury for the #InYourPower award. Everyone mentioned that drastic interest and impact to HIV detection produced by him, – Inna Gavrylova told. – We discussed this within the team and decided to attentively follow-up on the measurable impact produced by this case and not on discussion of Yury’s personality. That is how the post appeared about superior popularity of requests related to “HIV” and soaring interest (+ 4100%) of the Internet users ho HIV testing».

It’s interesting that the post caused new wave of publications in media which started to actively discuss that #DudEffect in action and tell how the film made people all around the world to think of their health and take HIV test.

So, in many media outlets, they switched from theory to practice: real facts were recorded in increasing numbers of people willing to be tested at AIDS centers, mobile outpatient clinics, testing centers based on NGOs, and record-breaking demand for tests was declared in pharmacies. “In large cities, the number of people willing to take the test has doubled,” says meduza.io.

In the comments on the Dud’s film, many of the viewers reported that they’ve already taken or are going to take an HIV test, and some admitted that the test was positive. They even wrote that this is “the very case when one person does much more than large-scale state educational info campaigns”.

Further on, politicians also started talking about the film and the problems of the HIV epidemic raised in it.

According to Gazeta.Ru, on February 14, a film by Yury Dud about the HIV epidemic in Russia was shown in the State Duma (Gosduma); it was the initiative of the first deputy head of the committee on health protection Fedot Tumusov.

Also, the film, which gained almost 15 million views by February 21, was appreciated in the Kremlin. Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov called the film by journalist and blogger Yury Dud about HIV in Russia a good one. This is reported by RBC. Moreover, according to Peskov, it is important that the Ministry of Health was “familiarized” with this work.

Deputy Minister of Health Oleg Salagay previously called this film “useful.” According to Salagay, the film provides a lot of important information about HIV, it can also encourage people to get tested and get the necessary treatment, but presentation of some facts in this video is “arguable”.

The Chairman of the Accounts Chamber, Alexei Kudrin, promised to test the effectiveness of measures taken to help HIV-positive people.

The tremendous excitement in testing, more than 15 million and video views perfectly demonstrated that even without political power or a magic wand you can influence the history of entire states, destroy entrenched bonds and help millions save their lives.

It turned out to be the power of a journalist and a blogger.

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Success stories

Andriy Klepikov: “Efficient methods to overcome HIV/AIDS and TB in the cities are already known”

At the start of the #InYourPower information campaign, we said that we believe in the power of political decisions in favor of people’s health, and in the immense expertise of communities whose joint efforts will help stop the HIV/TB epidemic. We promised to find examples of such successful stories, to talk about them using specific cases with decisions in favor of HIV programs with proven feasibility and efficiency.

It’s in our power. Therefore, we present the first material containing a whole collection of such cases and videos.

In Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), the situation with HIV and TB remains drastic. Over 1.7 million people live with HIV in the countries of the region, and every year this figure is growing by 22-23%. The TB morbidity stands as high as 260,000, each third case is MDR-TB, this indicator is six times higher than the world level.

According to experts, focusing on two aspects: the personal responsibility of municipal leaders and an effective methodology, can reverse this gloomy record.

We talked about this issue and the specific tools for effective work with cities with Andriy Klepikov, CEO of the ICF ” Alliance for Public Health”, following his impressive presentation at the EECA Cities Leadership Forum.

Thus, speaking about the achievements and progress of the municipal response to the HIV/TB epidemics in the EECA region, he notes that one of the most effective ways to address the issue is to concentrate efforts on working with big cities. Speaking about personal responsibility and an effective methodology, he noted: “First, everyone should take the initiative in their own hands, not shifting it to other people or structures, be it NGOs, authorities or health facilities. And, second, it’s not necessary to “invent the wheel” while carrying on ineffective methods of combating the epidemic; it’s sufficient to adopt already working mechanisms, having studied the experience of others”.

Official video of the speech:

“By and large, overcoming HIV and TB is the task of cities”, emphasizes Andriy Klepikov. – Indeed, at least one third, if not half of all HIV-positive people in the country, are concentrated in cities, for example, in Sofia and Tbilisi. There are cities where more people live with HIV than in some countries. For example, in Kyiv alone there are more PLWH than in all Georgia. And therefore, the city has to single-handedly address comparable, or even more ambitious challenges than those on the country level”.

The CEO of the ICF “Alliance for Public Health” is convinced that in order to stop the HIV epidemic in Ukraine, it is enough to defeat it in 5 large cities: Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and Mariupol. And we already know how to do this.

“Our focus on cities and collaborating with mayors is key to tackling HIV/TB. As for the methodology – there is no need to invent anything, everything has already been invented. There are working principles on how to reach the level of an accelerated response to the HIV and TB epidemic. From our side, we have been working in cities for more than a year, and we are pleased to present a model that brings forth real results”, Mr. Klepikov said.

Based on his work experience in five cities of the region, the ICF “Alliance for Public Health” has developed a model for the city, which contributes to a significant improvement in the HIV/TB situation and helps to formulate a sustainable response to the epidemic by attracting municipal resources. The model itself, the examination and specific cases with a detailed description of “How to Stop the HIV/TB Epidemic in Cities” are collected in the handbook of the EECA Fast-track Cities project and published in the public domain (hurry up to grab it!) on the website for wide access to the developed expertise of all interested parties.

Andriy Klepikov emphasized that when working in cities, it is recommended to focus on three aspects: working with key populations, organizing effective services, and actively interacting with mayors, politicians, and officials – decision-makers, thus changing local politics. Therefore, active interaction with the authorities enabled achieving the development of services and improving work with key populations in a number of EECA cities. Thus, a safe drug use room opened in Sumy. In Odesa, municipal pharmacies are involved in a harm reduction program, and free syringes are now available there. And in Almaty, they created a safe space for key populations, including the community center for LGBT people.

In addition, projects relevant to a specific policy are being successfully implemented in a number of EECA cities. For example, in Almaty, with the help of rapid tests, we managed to identify one hundred and fifty cases of HIV infection and help almost all of them to start treatment – social workers did not wait for representatives of key populations in clinics, but went to where they were the most needed, using the electronic client accounting system. 

In Kyiv, artificial intelligence was used to identify the most high-risk cases with regard to HIV. And in Odesa, a Fast-Track project was implemented with close cooperation with the city administration, which resulted in a rapid increase in the TB treatment efficiency, from 52% to 71%, by providing treatment on the primary healthcare facilities level.

The Moldovan city of Balti has shown a customer-oriented approach, and now people can obtain all the services for tuberculosis treatment, counseling, ART in one facility, without the need to travel all over the city. This initiative increased the recovery rate to 78%.

In his opinion, the EECA region in 2020 already needs results. And the results are a decrease in new cases of HIV, TB, and most importantly, these are saved lives. “Based on the experience and accumulated expertise, we understand, which programs are not just operational, but produce results measured by the lives of real people”, says Andriy Klepikov. – Cities are a promising area, where we should and can invest more: both resources, and time, and our energy and efforts. And we are open to the challenge. All these developments are not for me; they are for you. Everyone who is interested in receiving support from our team is welcome, we are open. It is very important to remember that we can stop the epidemic in the country by working effectively in cities. Cities can make a difference in our countries, and not just cities as a concept, but city leaders, mayors, and we, the residents. For us, this is the way forward. This is #InYourPower, in our power!”

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Ruslan Poverga: “We have the power to save lives”

The regional information campaign #Inyourpower is supported by the representatives of the civil society of Moldova. Non-governmental organization “Inițiativa Pozitivă” joined the initiative.

«Now it’s extremely important to mobilize all the existing resources,underlined Ruslan Poverga, General Director of the “Inițiativa Pozitivă” Association. — To take thoroughgoing steps, to use modern technologies, to convert words to actions at maximum dynamic pace. We can stop the epidemics, we have the power to save the lives!

You may learn more about the campaign and join it at the official web-site — inyourpower.life and in social networks – Facebook и Twitter. All the materials of campaign are available in 2 languages: Russian and English.

Hash tags: #вТвоихСилах, #inYourPower, #SoS_project

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Problems of key populations can be resolved only through cooperative efforts

Combating AIDS is the job of not only the medical community and activists representing key populations. Important role in stopping the HIV epidemics belongs to politicians, governmental officials, as well as other representatives of other social and cultural spheres of life, according to the Association of Legal Entities “Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV”, which joined the #InYourPower initiative.

Director of the Kazakhsky Scientific Center of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases of the Ministry of Health of Republic of Kazakhstan (KSCDID) Bauyrzhan Bayserkin mentioned at the press conference devoted to the start of the information campaign «Crucial Role of Communities» devoted to the World AIDS Day that for today mobilization of all communities is of great importance, and political level has to be involved in resolving this issue: «Being implemented in partnership with government, these activities allow to keep HIV-related issues on the political agenda. It allows to eliminate barriers obstructing service provision by communities, to reduce stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV».

Bakhtiyar Artayev, well-known Kazakh boxer, Olympic champion and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador at the press conference was speaking about the outstanding and famous people living with HIV who became world sporting legends. He underlined that everyone has to be the change agent as everything is #InYourPower.

It should be noted that Kazakhstan demonstrates the significant progress in combating HIV epidemics. In the formula of the global 90-90-90 aim, the first 90 is almost achieved: number of people knowing their HIV status in the country is 84% already.

It’s very significant achievement, according to the Association of Legal Entities “Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV”, but remaining percent consists of those who are out-of-sight of the healthcare and social systems, who do not apply to the official institutions in the system of Ministry of health because of the existing barriers. It is about key populations.

“The problems of key populations existing in the country can be resolved only through cooperative efforts of the communities, governmental structures, civil society, and international organizations – all those involved and interested in effective and sustainable response to HIV epidemics”, — the organization mentions.

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In your power: download the materials and support the campaign!

The initiators of the #InYourPower campaign have developed a number of visual materials for those willing to join it. These materials will help to express one’s position and attitude more clearly and to bring their message more effectively for those who have the tools to impact the situation with HIV at the level of the governmental authorities.

To get the visual materials one has to follow the link to the «Download» section of the web-site and to download the object of interest.

The catalogue presented by the #InYourPower initiative contains the cards for selfies, posters, calendars for 2020, and even banners.

Let’s remind that the #InYourPower campaign is focusing on the efforts on the public officials and politicians, effective NGO-government partnerships as well as on specific successes of the EECA countries in combating HIV/AIDS. The major goal of the campaign is to find new heroes and inspire the whole region.

You may learn more about the campaign and join it at the official web-site — inyourpower.life and in social networks Facebook and Twitter. The campaign hash tags: #вТвоихСилах, #inYourPower, #SoS_project

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Aybar Sultangaziev: Kyrgyzstan demonstrates real commitment to overcome the HIV epidemic

Aybar Sultangaziev, Executive Director of the Partnership Network Association, supported the information campaign #InYourPower and told about Kyrgyzstan experience:
“Kyrgyzstan demonstrates real commitment to overcome the HIV epidemic.
Not just dialogue, but joint work of the state and civil society allowed to:
– significantly expand public funding,
– ensure low prices for ARV drugs,
– launch the state social order in the area of HIV,
– start the broad treatment adherence campaign
And two largest cities in the country signed the Paris Declaration!”

It’s #InYourPower to end AIDS!
Join! Nominate!

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Dmitry Sherembey: In order to stop the epidemic you don’t need to be a magician

“#SoS_project is a working strategy to save lives, and our campaign is a simple and clear action guide that will explain that in order to stop the epidemic you don’t need to be a magician,” comments Dmitry Sherembey, head of the Coordinating Council of the CO ” 100% Life. “The dialogue between patients and officials, the optimization of procurements, tolerance and, most importantly, the ability to listen and hear each other – these are simple steps that are necessary to stop the epidemic.”

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Vinay P. Saldanha: “It is extremely important today to reach a new level of dialogue”

Vinay P. Saldanha, UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern Europe & Central Asia:

“It is extremely important today to reach a new level of dialogue and interaction between civil society and state partners. I hope that within the framework of SOS_project and InYourPower initiative the conditions for such interactions will be created and we will be able to reverse the trajectory of the HIV epidemic in the region and then finally end the AIDS epidemic once and for all. “