In April 2005, WHO and UNAIDS conducted an HIV/AIDS modelling and estimation workshop in Ukraine, with the participation of all regional AIDS Centers, the National AIDS centre, the Ministry of Health and all other partners in the country. A consensus was reached on the estimates developed during the workshop, and the numbers developed by the using WHO/UNAIDS methodology (workbook and Spectrum). The results differ greatly from the data previously used in the Country Fact Sheets.
The revised key indicators that are in the table of the fact sheet are:
1) Adult prevalence of HIV/AIDS (15-49 years): 1.08% (range: 0.54 to 1.73%)
2) Estimated number of people living with HIV/AIDS (all ages): 260,000 (range: 130,000 to 416,000)
3) Reported number of people receiving HAART (all ages): 1,647 (1 April 2005)
4) Estimated total number of people needing HAART: 17,300 (2005)
5) Estimated proportion of IDU among PLWHA (15-49 years): 57.1%
6) Estimated number of women among PLWHA (15 to 49 years): 36.0%
Even though the overall figures are smaller than previously thought, Ukraine remains the country with the highest burden of HIV/AIDS in the 52 Member States of the European Region.
Prices of antiretroviral therapy regimens in 2004 ranged from US $285 per patient/year for 1st line treatment through GFATM procurement, to US $5,871 per patient/year for 2nd line treatment through GFATM procurement and to US $6,322 per patient/year for 1st line treatment through Government procurement.
The country still has no treatment targets, but they are under development. As of 1 March 2005, the Government is providing 1st line treatment for 90 patients, and GFATM has a current target of 2600 children and adults on treatment by September 2005. During the current preparation of Phase II GFATM project, Ukraine indicated interest to increase the GFATM treatment target to 5,000 persons by 2008, and the government might also increase its own target, depending on the ability to reduce prices for government procurement.
For more information about Ukraine see "Let's talk about AIDS", a bimonthly information bulletin, part of the East European Development Institute, with support from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Available in English, Russian or Ukrainian.