More than 16,000 people in Moldova live with HIV and over 5,000 of these are not supervised by doctors and do not receive the available antiretroviral treatment, being simultaneously a source of infection. The testing and detecting of HIV-infected people are among the main actions of response to the infection, the National Public Health Agency said in connection with World AIDS Day. Each year, on 1 December, people around the world unite to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses, IPN reports.

Awareness-raising events will be held nationwide until December 20 as part of the social campaign “Let communities lead”, which treats aspects related to HIV/AIDS, such as promotion of testing among the general population and in high-risk groups so as to know the HIV status, diminution of discrimination against persons living with HIV and other persons susceptible to HIV, mobilization of efforts of all stakeholders to deal with HIV.

Innovative services are provided today in the country, such as quick capillary sampling, including in the NGO sector, services to prevent HIV through vending devices and mobile clinics. Owing to the considerable resources provided from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, 30,102 persons at risk for HIV infection benefitted in 2022 from prevention services. Out of these, 16,963 were intravenous drug users, while 7,764 were commercial sex workers.

World AIDS Day is an opportunity to reflect on the progress made to date, raise awareness about the challenges that remain to achieve the goals of ending AIDS by 2030 and mobilize all stakeholders to jointly redouble efforts to ensure the success of the HIV response.