Many Events Were Held In Estonia To Honor The Memory Of Those Who Have Died From AIDS

Many events were held on May 21 in the largest cities of Estonia in Tallinn, Narva, Jõvhi, and Paide on The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day to raise awareness among the public and authorities of HIV infection spread in the country. Activists were launching latex balloons on city squares, representing remembrance the souls of people who died of AIDS.

As part of commemorating events, spokespeople of HIV-service organizations made some statements. In particular, the largest Estonian network of people living with HIV, unitedly with its strategic partners - the Consortium of Communities, which includes the organizations VEK LGBT and LUNEST, - said that the issue of cooperation between social and expert organizations, activists and the state institutions are critical for fighting against HIV. Such matters concern principally with ART coverage and treatment adherence, which depends primarily on the ART availability for people in Estonia.

As experts say, today to stop the HIV infection growth in Estonia, it is necessary to implement the UNAIDS program "90-90-90" where the current level of ART providing is only 33-35%. The goals of this UN initiative are well known throughout the world. The organization expects to achieve that 90% of people living with HIV will be aware of their status by 2020, 90% of them will be receiving treatment, and finally, 90% of those who are on therapy will have undetectable viral load.

Such goals, according to UNAIDS, could only be achieved through collaborative efforts pooling the efforts of government officials, professionals, experts and patient communities, commercial and non-profit organizations. Working with HIV-positive people, experts emphasize, should become an integral part of the policy of each state. Governments are required to increase funding the crucial social programs and to involve the public and activists unions.