The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Public Health held hearings entitled “On preventing the spread of epidemics of tuberculosis, HIV infection/AIDS and viral hepatitis”
22 October 2013, 14:22
The First Deputy Chairman of the Committee Roman Ilyk noted that the issue of counteracting the epidemics of tuberculosis, HIV infection/AIDS and viral hepatitis “remains topical for Ukraine and has long since moved beyond the purely medical problem”.
The people’s deputy has also stressed that Ukraine is the second country in Europe and the fifth in the world in terms of HIV incidence rates. Each day almost 60 citizens are diagnosed with HIV infection.
R.Ilyk drew attention of those present to the fact that despite certain reduction (by 1.6%) in the number of HIV infections in 2012, “it is too early to speak of stabilization of the epidemic process”.
Analyzing the problem of tuberculosis, rapporteurs stressed that according to the WHO criteria, Ukraine takes the 10th place in terms of incidence of tuberculosis among the countries of European Region.
Participants of hearings stressed that the epidemics of tuberculosis lasts for already 18 years in Ukraine. During this period, almost 150 thousands of citizens have died.
According to the rapporteurs, the problem of drastic increase of virus hepatitis is becoming a serious one for Ukraine.
It was noted that since 2011 budget funds have been allocated to purchase medicine for treatment of virus hepatitis (UAH 4 million in 2011 and UAH 8 million both in 2012 and 2013 for treatment of children with chronic viral hepatitis; in 2013 UAH 33,2 million were allocated for the purchase of medicine for treatment of adults with virus hepatitis).
Summing up, participants of hearings noted that epidemics of tuberculosis, HIV infection/AIDS and viral hepatitis negatively effect socio-economic development of the state and poses a threat to its national security.
According to the participants of hearings, only comprehensive efforts based on partnership relations between the government, scientists, health experts, NGOs and representatives of socially responsible business can stop rapid spread of these socially dangerous diseases and secure provision of our citizens with proper medical treatment.