The HIV prevention campaign Believe it or Not, featuring UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Vera Brezhneva as a spokesperson, was launched in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 15 September.
The national campaign encourages men and women to get the facts on HIV and to protect themselves and are invited to test their knowledge about HIV at viryuneviryu.com.
An online platform with key facts about HIV, HIV testing sites, an epidemiological review and other elements on HIV awareness is also available at http://www.helpme.com.ua/ua/main/. Posters, city lights and billboards will promote campaign messages across the country.
The number of new HIV infections is still growing in Ukraine. According to the latest national data, HIV sexual transmission is rising and accounts for up to 70% of new registered cases. The vast majority of the estimated 220 000 people living with HIV in the country in 2015 are 15–49 years old.
The Government of Ukraine, UNAIDS and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, acting on behalf of the Government of Germany, are working together on the campaign.
“We are grateful to our international partners for their support with the HIV response in Ukraine and reforms in the health-care sector. This campaign is a good example of the way prevention campaigns for the general population should be implemented.”
Uliana Suprun Acting Minister of Health of Ukraine
“It is much easier to prevent HIV infection than to treat it. For our country, which is currently facing multiple challenges, it is vital to stop new HIV infections now.”
Natalya Nizova Director of the Ukrainian Centre for Social Disease Control
“We want to remind people about simple but very important things: don’t believe in words, only believe in facts about HIV infection. Don’t be scared to talk about your safety with sexual partners. Be responsible for your health and get tested for HIV regularly.”
Vera Brezhneva UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
“If we want to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, we have to use all opportunities and innovative approaches to prevent new cases of HIV.”
Vinay Saldanha UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
“We welcome the collaboration with our partners and support Ukraine in the implementation of this campaign. We can only achieve visible results by uniting our efforts.”
Tatiana Khimchenko Deputy Director of the HIV/AIDS Advisory Services and Institutional Capacity Building Project, GIZ Office, Ukraine
