The first Central Asian theoretical and practical conference titled “HIV/TB: Lessons and Challenges of Dual Epidemic” will be held on 24-26 August in Issyk-Kul oblast (Baet village, “Ak-Maral” boarding house). The event is organized by Dutch humanitarian public health organization AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW), Central Asian AIDS Project (CAAP) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The conference will gather representatives of AIDS-servicing organizations and TB institutions of civil and penal systems, nurses, professors of medical schools and members of thematic and working groups on HIV/TB. Representatives of non-governmental and international organizations as well as officials from different ministries and institutions from all Central Asian republics and Azerbaijan responsible for HIV,TB and HIV/TB prevention will also take part in the event.

 

The purpose of the conference is to exchange practical experience, scientific data and information on actual activities held to treat and support patients with co-infection, reduce the risks of HIV/TB co-infection development. Participants will also work out a regional strategy to counteract the spread of HIV/TB.

 

Participants will examine international strategies of HIV/TB control; discuss cooperation of AIDS and TB services, penal and civil healthcare systems; state, non-governmental and international organizations in coordination and implementation of best approaches and practices in the area of HIV/TB.

 

Prior to the conference, the region’s leading experts on HIV/TB, practicing doctors and professors have collected research papers. The collection will be published in the framework of the conference and handed out to participants.

 

Also in the framework of the conference the first meeting of regional nurses will take place. Titled “The role of nurses in control of socially important diseases,” the meeting’s motto is “Nurses are for safe and effective medical aid!”