AIDS in Ukraine

LIVING WITH AIDS

04 December 2008 | www.kyivpost.com

Inadequate medicine, ineffective cooperation and low awareness exacerbate Ukraine's soaring infection rate

If there's anything worse than having AIDS, maybe it's having the disease in Ukraine. Discrimination, unstable supplies of critical medicine and poor awareness are still prevalent.

Maksym Nikolayenko would know. He is among those HIV-positive Ukrainians whose virus has progressed to AIDS. He is no longer afraid or silent. "I am tired of hiding it. I've realized if people keep silent, AIDS will choke all of us," Nikolayenko said.

Nikolayenko understands why other HIV/AIDS patients are still afraid and silent. He also doesn't recommend that all HIV-positive people speak out and reveal their status. "Discrimination is all over the country," Nikolayenko said. "And it's scary."

Read more: www.kyivpost.com

December 10, 2008 | Category: Situation