On December 6 – 8, 2016 the 39th meeting of the Coordinating Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS PCB) takes place in Geneva. The issues of leadership in the AIDS response, updated gap analysis on pediatric HIV prevention (including prevention, treatment, care and support), as well as implementation of the Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework of UNAIDS for 2016 – 2021 are in the focus of attention of the event. The last day of the meeting will be dedicated to the thematic segment: “HIV and ageing”.

The delegation of Ukraine headed by Pavlo Rozenko, Vice Prime Minister, takes part in the work of the UNAIDS PCB.

In his speech during the event Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine stressed upon the negative impact of the Russian aggression against our country on the possibilities of access of persons living with HIV, having tuberculoses or other related diseases, to the vitally important substitution maintenance therapy and other medical services, that has already caused dozens of fatalities, in particular, in occupied territories of Crimea.

Pavlo Rozenko also noted Ukraine’s accelerating efforts, as a UNAIDS PCB member, to counter the spread of the diseases and their prevention, including the establishment of the Public Health Centre under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the increase in government funding for HIV and tuberculosis treatment programs by 140%, etc., as well as underlined the willingness to continue taking measures to increase access to antiretroviral therapy for HIV patients and ensure the stability of national response to these diseases.

On December 6 Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine had a meeting with Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, during which relevant issues of further cooperation in the context of the «fast-track» strategy implementation in our country, as well as realization of the 2016 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.

There are also foreseen meetings of Pavlo Rozenko with the leadership of a number of international organizations located in Geneva, in particular, with Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization, Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as well as Heinz Koller, Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia of the International Labour Organization.