Today is World AIDS Day. Unfortunately, Ukraine still occupies one of the first places in Europe in terms of the growth rate of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Today is World AIDS Day. Unfortunately, Ukraine still occupies one of the first places in Europe in terms of the growth rate of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. And in the conditions of war, the risk of infection increases significantly. Therefore, it is very important to be tested.

According to estimates of the public health center, a total of 257,000 people in Ukraine are infected with HIV. A third of them still do not know that they are HIV carriers, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicates.

"During the war, it may seem that there are no other problems. But it is not so. Therefore, we do not neglect HIV-positive people, especially children, providing them with food, medicines and timely diagnosis of their health status. The fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic has made us resilient. War has made us invincible. We will definitely become stronger and choose the right to freedom, tolerance, access to treatment and quality of life!" - noted the director of the Olena Pinchuk Foundation, Olga Serdyuk.

It is possible to remain resistant to HIV infection. And testing is the first step to continue a full life, create a family and give birth to children.

We invite everyone who wants to take a free express test at the Dialog hub at 43 Volodymyrska Street.

HIV infection is an infectious disease that develops as a result of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). If HIV infection is not treated for a long time, it destroys the immune system and leads to the human immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS. This is already the fourth stage of the disease, which can be fatal.

HIV can live in a person's body for many years without causing any symptoms, and can be transmitted to other people before any signs of the disease appear.