Public Health Strategic Programs in the Area of Anti-HIV/AIDS at the Regional Level in Ukraine (Case of Sumy Region)

Abstract

Today, according to WHO and UNAIDS, Ukraine remains a region with a high prevalence of HIV infection in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and is one of the leaders in the number of HIV-positive people. According to the Public Health Centre of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, more than 350,000 cases of HIV infection were registered in Ukraine between 1987 and 2020, including almost 120,000 cases of AIDS and more than 50,000 deaths from diseases caused by AIDS. Almost 240,000 HIV-positive people are under medical supervision. In the country, the epidemic continues to spread among the general population due to the increasing epidemic importance of sexual transmission of HIV, which currently accounts for 65.6 % of first-time HIV patients, and the leading role of key at-risk groups (people who use drugs, people who provide sexual services for a fee, men who have sex with men, and their partners) in the spread of HIV. In the context of health care reform, the issue of achieving the Global Goal of Combating HIV/AIDS «95-95-95» remains extremely important, which is that by 2030 95 % of HIV-infected people should know their diagnosis, 95 % of them — receive treatment, and 95 % of these people have an indeterminate level of viral load. Also, the priority area of activity is to ensure equal access of the population to HIV treatment and prevention services, including representatives of key risk groups. Therefore, we consider the topic of our study relevant. The purpose of the study: is to develop strategic public health programs in the field of HIV/AIDS and to identify priority areas for further prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS at the regional level. The scientific sources are analysed, different approaches to strategic public health management are studied, the directions of further research are chosen. General scientific theoretical methods are used to solve the outlined tasks and achieve the research goal: study and analysis of scientific sources on health care, HIV/AIDS, statistical and accounting documents, research data and assumptions. The results of the study allow to scientifically substantiate the priority areas of state policy in the field of combating the spread of HIV/AIDS and to determine the financial component of measures to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. It is advisable for researchers to further focus on the study of strategic directions in the field of HIV/AIDS and their financial component in order to effectively implement management plans in this area.