World HIV/AIDS Day is an opportunity to develop clear policies to promote access to counselling, testing and different HIV/AIDS prevention strategies.
World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 every year to promote and raise awareness about prevention, testing and treatment. To this end, a number of activities will be carried out across the province today. At the same time, the Neuquén Department of Health, through the provincial HIV, STI and viral hepatitis program, has intensified its operations on decentralized testing and created new spaces for HIV counseling and prevention.
In addition, the first issue on December 1 this year HIV Newsletter A document from Neuquen updates provincial data and strengthens commitment to the topic.
Thanks to the health action, Neuquén now has 10 joint prevention and testing centres. Health Minister Andrea Peve said in this regard: “The expansion of community services has been one of the biggest goals we have set since the 2019-2023 health plan. In 2022, on the same day, two centers were opened in the city of Neuquén, and we plan to The city is adding more centers and expanding into other health areas.” “Today we have 10 centers operating,” Peve added. “We are very proud of the work carried out by the HIV project and, moreover, these centers are no longer Not just for detection, but adapted and serviced. A territorially integrated approach.”
Comprehensive HIV prevention is a set of rights-supported strategies designed to address the specific needs of individuals and communities to prevent HIV infection, with a particular focus on those considered vulnerable.
Regarding the new joint prevention centres, Provincial HIV/AIDS Program Representative Luciana Moya commented: “The fundamental aim of these centers is to reduce Number of new infections. Prevention, starting with a primary health care focus,” and elaborates: “It is added to HIV and syphilis testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PReP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).”
It’s worth clarifying that HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is the use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) in people who are not infected with HIV to reduce the likelihood of infection. HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is initiated after the risk of infection transmission has emerged and involves the use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) within 72 hours of infection as a prevention strategy and only in emergency situations.
In this sense, since 2015 the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the implementation of PrEP delivery plans within the framework of a comprehensive prevention strategy, paying special attention to key groups and other high-risk groups, and from August 2022 this strategy will be implemented in Argentina Available, provided by the National HIV Response Agency.
Where are the 10 testing and joint prevention centers?
The United Prevention Center provides a space each week for spontaneous needs.
in the city neuquen:
● Castro Rendón Hospital: Every Thursday from 12 noon to 2 pm (CEPAT)
● San Lorenzo Norte Health Center: Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
● Villa María Wellness Center: every Tuesday from 10 am to 12:30 noon
● Valentina Norte Wellness Center: Mondays from 8:30 am to 12 noon.
● Confluencia Wellness Center: Every Thursday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
● Parque Industrial Health Center: Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.
exist san martin andes:
● Arenales Wellness Center: Wednesdays from noon to 4 p.m.
● San Martin de los Andes Hospital: Tuesdays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
in hospital Hotel Huincourt Cutral Union Square:Thursday 2pm to 4pm
in hospital sapala:Thursday 3pm to 6pm
In addition, HIV diagnostic studies can be requested free of charge, voluntarily and confidentially at all laboratories in public hospitals across the province year-round without an appointment or doctor’s order. Condoms are also remembered as an effective way to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis and unwanted pregnancy.
HIV-AIDS Newsletter-N°1
Since 2022, the Provincial HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections and Viral Hepatitis Program of the Provincial Directorate of Primary Health Care, in collaboration with the Directorate of Epidemiology, has produced a newsletter containing the latest data on the HIV situation in the region.
It should be remembered that the last provincial report was published in 2015, so the new document represents an achievement in updating information in this area, but also represents an ongoing commitment to this issue.
The availability of data and the doubling of space for access to diagnosis and prevention reflect policies and actions implemented by the province, consistent with the national and global UNAIDS strategy known as 95-95-95: 95 per cent of people living with HIV Of those who knew their serologic status, 95% received antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of those on treatment achieved viral suppression.
Some provincial data
● As of November 2023, 3,051 cases of HIV infection have been reported in the province since the first registration in 1986.
● Since 2019, there have been no cases of vertical transmission. The contribution of the implementation of the “Emergency Mother-to-Child Transmission+” strategy to safeguarding maternal and child health and preventing HIV transmission from pregnant women to their unborn babies was emphasized.
● There are currently 964 people being monitored by the public system.
● More than 98% of infections occur through unprotected sexual relations.
In this way, the communiqué provides a detailed vision of the situation in the province and is an essential technical and analytical tool for decision-making aimed at optimizing access to diagnosis, improving the quality of life of people living with HIV in our province, and promoting a comprehensive approach to the development of effective Health policies that benefit the health of Neuquén people.
This announcement can be found on the Neuquén Provincial Ministry of Health website in the Provincial HIV, STI and Viral Hepatitis Program Information under “About HIV and sexually transmitted infectionsfrom the Sexual and Reproductive Health section.