Kyrgyzstan, like most countries in the world, has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. In the context of this, we had the task of ensuring uninterrupted access to the citizens of Kyrgyzstan, both in the country and forced to stay outside it.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the availability of HIV services in Kyrgyzstan. A state of emergency was introduced in the country since March 25, 2020, which was extended until May 10, which limited the free movement of citizens, including in order to receive medical and social services not directly related to a direct threat to life.
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Labor migration is an integral part of the modern history of the Republic of Tajikistan. According to various estimates, the number of migrant workers from Tajikistan ranges from 500,000 to 1 million people (almost 10% of the country’s population). According to Russian law, the HIV-positive status of foreign citizens is an obstacle to entry into the Russian Federation (process to obtain a visa) and obtaining a work permit, as well as an occasion to receive notification of the undesirability of staying in the Russian Federation.
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Under quarantine, a large number of people with HIV-positive status find themselves in a situation where they do not have access to the vitally important antiretroviral therapy. It is an integral part of providing complex care for people living with HIV. Everyone who takes ART understands that because of this, their immunity retains their functions, their quality of life is maintained and improved, and treatment should not be interrupted in any case.
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The coronavirus epidemic set completely new targets and challenges for professional working in the healthcare, harm reduction, social and psychological assistance to representatives of risk groups and HIV-positive people. It became necessary to reformatting activities ‘in the fields’, quick training of specialists in the new changed conditions, as well as their constant support in the implementation of new directions.
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In recommendations for overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC and WHO emphasized the need to
establish an online schedule for patient visits in specialized health facilities in order to escape long
waiting in queues and crowds in the halls of health facilities.
The period of self-isolation affected everyone. But most of all, people living with HIV and the limitations of vulnerable groups, including migrants, felt the limitations. The main problem is the inability to receive the necessary medical, social, legal assistance. Examples include problems with receiving ART for HIV-positive citizens and the difficulty of visiting AIDS centers, difficulties in getting counseling / testing for HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs for representatives of a group of key groups (MSM, SWs, migrants, etc.)
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state restrictions, more and more people living with HIV are seeking help outside their native countries in gaining access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Failure to cross borders during blockages, overloaded health systems that are poorly adapted to meet the needs of migrants and foreigners, stigma, discrimination, and sometimes, even, criminalization of PLHIV and key populations – all these issues contribute to the risk of ART interruption.
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