In anticipation of World AIDS Day, celebrated on December 1st, a meeting took place at the Odesa City Council with representatives from the City Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention and NGOs.

Amid the ongoing war, Odesa continues to ensure the delivery of medical services in the fight against HIV and tuberculosis.

HIV testing is offered free of charge at all city hospitals, primary healthcare centers, diagnostic centers, maternity hospitals, and ‘Trust’ cabinets at the City AIDS Center. Rapid tests provide results within 10-15 minutes.

Patients who test positive are referred by multidisciplinary teams, including medical and social workers, to the City AIDS Center for further examination and necessary treatment. High-quality antiretroviral therapy is provided free of charge, allowing people with HIV to live long, fulfilling lives without endangering their partners and having healthy children.

In the first 10 months of 2025, 34,792 patients were tested for HIV in Odesa’s medical facilities, with 301 new positive cases identified. Of the total tests, 19,140 patients were examined by primary healthcare doctors.

Tuberculosis screening is conducted by family doctors through questionnaires. This year, primary doctors identified 702 suspected cases of tuberculosis. Further examinations confirmed the presence of pulmonary tuberculosis in 542 individuals, including 331 cases of active tuberculosis.

Meeting participants discussed ways to enhance cooperation between medical institutions and NGOs for more effective referral of patients with positive HIV tests to specialists.

Additionally, free anonymous testing for HIV and viral hepatitis was conducted by the City AIDS Center for all interested staff and visitors of the Administrative Services Center.