For the coming World Aids Day on 1 December 2019, a joint press conference was held with representatives from the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, National Center for Public Health, National Center for Communicable Disease, Global Fund Supported Projects on HIV/AIDS and TB and “Youth for Health” NGO to call on communities to take lead in increasing access to HIV testing, treatment and care.
The global theme for the 31st anniversary of World AIDS Day is “Communities make the difference” to showcase the unique role communities have in the HIV response and overall health progress. Thanks to community members such as advocates, peer-educators, mobilizers, counsellors, self-test agents, expert patients and treatment adherence supporters working side by side with health professionals, we saw incredible success in the HIV response in recent years. Of the 37.9 million people living with HIV, 79% were covered with testing, 62% - with treatment, and 53% achieved suppression of the HIV virus with no risk of infecting others.
“Community-based approach can help the world get on track to not only end HIV, but also achieve Health for All by 2030” said WHO Representative in Mongolia Dr. Sergey Diorditsa highlighting the essential role that communities play in ending AIDS, proposing solutions for stronger primary health care and achieving Universal Health Coverage. The contribution of communities in achieving health for all is recognized in the first-ever UN declaration on universal health coverage (UHC) and the “Global action plan for healthy lives and well-being for all” approved by Member States in September 2019.
Many awareness raising events, trainings and meetings with different target groups including decision makers, patients, health professionals, university students, risk population and public are carried out throughout the month of November at city and province levels. Additionally, free HIV testing is offered to those groups and educational materials and information on prevention of HIV is disseminated through various media channels.