On the eve of World AIDS Day, the Odessa City Council held a press conference with the participation of community organizations. 

A free confidential testing event for HIV and viral hepatitis was also conducted at the Administrative Services Center for all interested staff and visitors of the administrative building.

In Odessa, local authorities, healthcare institutions, and NGOs are effectively consolidating efforts to combat the spread of HIV and other socially significant diseases. 

In 2017, Odessa's mayor, Gennady Trukhanov, signed the Paris Declaration, making Odessa part of the global Fast Track Cities initiative aimed at overcoming the HIV epidemic in major cities.

Since then, significant results have been achieved in combating HIV through the implementation of city-targeted programs. In particular, 98% of people living with HIV in Odessa are aware of their status, compared to 50% before the signing of the Paris Declaration. High levels of awareness have been ensured through extensive HIV testing in all city medical institutions.

Of all individuals aware of their HIV-positive status, 96% are under medical supervision and receive antiretroviral therapy (this figure was 60% prior to the signing of the declaration).

Multidisciplinary teams, including healthcare professionals and social workers, operate in all city medical institutions to assist individuals diagnosed with HIV in quickly accessing treatment and psychosocial support.

At the City Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, patients receive modern antiretroviral therapy free of charge. The treatment's effectiveness is evidenced by the fact that over 96% of these patients have an undetectable viral load in their blood (the figure was 86% before signing the declaration). 

Early HIV diagnosis and adherence to prescribed antiretroviral therapy allow people living with HIV to lead quality lives and have healthy children.

Additionally, programs supporting HIV-positive pregnant women and their newborns have been implemented in Odessa, providing free lactation suppression medications and safe infant formula for artificial feeding.

Moreover, Odessa has programs for substitution therapy, harm reduction for drug users, and psychosocial rehabilitation for those who have chosen to stop using psychoactive substances.

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From November 25 to 29, free anonymous HIV testing will be available in medical institutions across Odessa for all interested parties.

Addresses and schedule of the event.