HIV epidemics and prevention responses in Asia and Eastern Europe: lessons to be learned?

This paper describes characteristics of the HIV epidemics in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) and Asia and Central Asia, and draws comparisons between these regions. It focuses on the role that key populations continue to play in HIV transmission in both regions, the challenges that this poses and the implications for appropriate policy and practice.

Review of available data - particularly from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS.

In many countries across both regions, insufficient attention is paid to fully understanding HIV transmission and risks within key populations driving the HIV epidemics. However, it is clear that at-risk populations such as people who inject drugs, sex workers and their clients, and men who have sex with men (MSM) play important roles in HIV transmission both in Asia and EECA. The extent to which this role has been identified, accepted and targeted for HIV prevention, treatment and care is highly varied. There are several cases of good practice in terms of HIV programming and funding, but also many challenges.

There is much that HIV decision-makers and policy-makers in both regions can learn from one another in this field. At-risk populations must be identified, supported and engaged in order to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care.