Person-centred and integrated healthcare and harm reduction services for people living with and affected by HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis in eastern Europe and central Asia

Tetiana Kiriazova is a senior researcher at the Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy in Kyiv. Her main scientific interests are mitigating stigma and improving outcomes along HIV, addiction and TB treatment cascades in Ukraine and internationally.

Fariba Soltani is the Chief of the UNODC HIV/AIDS Section in Vienna and the Global Coordinator for HIV/AIDS. Ms. Soltani has over 25 years’ experience working on harm reduction and HIV prevention, treatment care and support among people who use drugs and in prison settings both at country and global levels.

Fariba Soltani is the Chief of the UNODC HIV/AIDS Section in Vienna and the Global Coordinator for HIV/AIDS. Ms. Soltani has over 25 years’ experience working on harm reduction and HIV prevention, treatment care and support among people who use drugs and in prison settings both at country and global levels.

Since 2011, Alexei Lakhov has been working in different Russian and European NGOs in the field of HIV infection, viral hepatitis and harm reduction. Alexei used to work as the Development Director of the largest Russian harm reduction program "Humanitarian Action" (Saint Petersburg), as well as the General Manager of the Harm Reduction NGOs Coalition "Outreach" (Tallinn, Estonia), and WHO Europe, UNAIDS, UNODC, HIV Justice Network, Coact consultant. Currently, he is an Executive Director of the European Network of People who Use Drugs. Participated in several researches for peer-reviewed journals on new psychoactive substances and online harm reduction. Authored a web outreach manual for the UNODC Programme Office in Eastern Europe.

Natalia Sidorenko is a civil society activist. She has been involved in HIV prevention since 2002. From 2017, she has been actively advocating for the decriminalization of HIV transmission in the EECA region. Natalia is a member and expert of the Eurasian Women’s Network on AIDS (EWNA).

I have been an HIV healthcare professional for 19 years. For 14 years I had been working with the Network of PLWH in Ukraine, launched wide-scale ART program in prisons, nation-wide HIV MIS, etc. Today I am the Executive Director at the Eurasian Movement for the Right to Health in Prisons.

Milosz Parczewski has received the MD diploma at the Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland in 2002 and was granted a Ph.D diploma in molecular epidemiology of HIV in 2007 and a title of professor of medicine in 2016 based on the scientific publications on HIV resistance and transmission networks. Current Vice-president (from 2023) and member of the Governing Board of the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) (from 2020). National Consultant for Infectious Diseases appointed in 2023. Since 2017 to 2024 President of the Polish Scientific AIDS Society, Council Member for the European Society on Antiviral Resistance, associate editor of BMJ STI and HIV Medicine journals.
Previously EACS fellow in the exchange programme for young HIV physicians (2006), under the supervision of dr Clifford Leen, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK. From the beginning of the medical career remains an active practitioner in infectious diseases (ID specialist diploma obtained in 2011), currently leading the Department of Infectious, Tropical Diseases and Acquired Immunodeficiency Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland. His research focuses on the molecular epidemiology in HIV infection and HCV coinfection: aspects of the genetic variability of the host with the key interest in chemokine and interleukin receptor genes, HIV genetic variability - evolution of drug resistance, including integrase mutations and tropism, HCV resistance as well as phylogeographic tracing of the viral transmission and recombination, involved in the local implementation of the next generation sequencing technologies for the HIV and HCV. Furthermore, key interests focus on the association between genetic HIV-1 infection susceptibility and survival and variants of the host associated with the drug adverse reactions, as well as implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis and recently migrant care. Author of multiple original scientific publications in the field of HIV/AIDS, active participant of the international conferences in the field, investigator in the clinical trials and cohorts including EUROSIDA, previously involved in the international projects such as “Rapid Assessment of Drug Law & Policy in the Former Soviet Union & Central Eastern Europe” funded by National Institute of Health.

Fariba Soltani is the Chief of the UNODC HIV/AIDS Section in Vienna and the Global Coordinator for HIV/AIDS. Ms. Soltani has over 25 years’ experience working on harm reduction and HIV prevention, treatment care and support among people who use drugs and in prison settings both at country and global levels.

Since 2011, Alexei Lakhov has been working in different Russian and European NGOs in the field of HIV infection, viral hepatitis and harm reduction. Alexei used to work as the Development Director of the largest Russian harm reduction program "Humanitarian Action" (Saint Petersburg), as well as the General Manager of the Harm Reduction NGOs Coalition "Outreach" (Tallinn, Estonia), and WHO Europe, UNAIDS, UNODC, HIV Justice Network, Coact consultant. Currently, he is an Executive Director of the European Network of People who Use Drugs. Participated in several researches for peer-reviewed journals on new psychoactive substances and online harm reduction. Authored a web outreach manual for the UNODC Programme Office in Eastern Europe.

Natalia Sidorenko is a civil society activist. She has been involved in HIV prevention since 2002. From 2017, she has been actively advocating for the decriminalization of HIV transmission in the EECA region. Natalia is a member and expert of the Eurasian Women’s Network on AIDS (EWNA).

I have been an HIV healthcare professional for 19 years. For 14 years I had been working with the Network of PLWH in Ukraine, launched wide-scale ART program in prisons, nation-wide HIV MIS, etc. Today I am the Executive Director at the Eurasian Movement for the Right to Health in Prisons.

Milosz Parczewski has received the MD diploma at the Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland in 2002 and was granted a Ph.D diploma in molecular epidemiology of HIV in 2007 and a title of professor of medicine in 2016 based on the scientific publications on HIV resistance and transmission networks. Current Vice-president (from 2023) and member of the Governing Board of the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) (from 2020). National Consultant for Infectious Diseases appointed in 2023. Since 2017 to 2024 President of the Polish Scientific AIDS Society, Council Member for the European Society on Antiviral Resistance, associate editor of BMJ STI and HIV Medicine journals.
Previously EACS fellow in the exchange programme for young HIV physicians (2006), under the supervision of dr Clifford Leen, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK. From the beginning of the medical career remains an active practitioner in infectious diseases (ID specialist diploma obtained in 2011), currently leading the Department of Infectious, Tropical Diseases and Acquired Immunodeficiency Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland. His research focuses on the molecular epidemiology in HIV infection and HCV coinfection: aspects of the genetic variability of the host with the key interest in chemokine and interleukin receptor genes, HIV genetic variability - evolution of drug resistance, including integrase mutations and tropism, HCV resistance as well as phylogeographic tracing of the viral transmission and recombination, involved in the local implementation of the next generation sequencing technologies for the HIV and HCV. Furthermore, key interests focus on the association between genetic HIV-1 infection susceptibility and survival and variants of the host associated with the drug adverse reactions, as well as implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis and recently migrant care. Author of multiple original scientific publications in the field of HIV/AIDS, active participant of the international conferences in the field, investigator in the clinical trials and cohorts including EUROSIDA, previously involved in the international projects such as “Rapid Assessment of Drug Law & Policy in the Former Soviet Union & Central Eastern Europe” funded by National Institute of Health.

Tetiana Kiriazova is a senior researcher at the Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy in Kyiv. Her main scientific interests are mitigating stigma and improving outcomes along HIV, addiction and TB treatment cascades in Ukraine and internationally.

Ala Iatco is a specialist in the field of public health and social assistance in the Republic of Moldova, who has a heightened sensitivity to the value of human life and for over 20 years has been organizing services, supporting communities affected by HIV, advocating for policies that support human rights, mobilizing resources to satisfy human needs and to diversify aid approaches.
Ala's core expertise relates to the organization and implementation of HIV prevention and reduction programs associated with drug use in the Republic of Moldova. Over the years, she has developed many social and health services for vulnerable groups, helped regulate them through policies and ensure their financing, including from domestic financial resources. From then until now, she supports the community to become more vocal and involved, better able to secure their rights and freedoms. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work, a Master's in Social Work and a Master's in Public Health Management, as well as academic experience as an assistant professor at ""Alecu Russo"" State University.

David Otiashvili is an Associate Professor of Healthcare at the School of Natural Sciences and Medicine, Ilia State University. David graduated from Tbilisi State Medical University and received a qualification as a psychiatrist. He spent ten years in clinical work treating patients with substance use disorders. As a NIDA Hubert Humphrey Fellow, he studied substance use research at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA. In 2014, he received PhD in Health Psychology from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Over the last decade, David's primary focus has been on research and education programs related to substance use and HIV. He has served as a Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator for numerous international collaborative research projects, including randomized controlled trials and epidemiological studies. Additionally, David has played a vital role in establishing a national drug situation monitoring mechanism in Georgia and serves as an expert in quality assurance for drug-related data collection. David has a sound record of experience as a consultant in health program evaluation for UN and EU agencies, bringing his expertise to bear on improving public health interventions worldwide.

I graduated from the School of Public Health (Management in Health Care – MPH) at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. My professional sphere of interest lies in the field of HIV and HCV prevention and treatment with a focus on research.
I am working with the Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy (UIPHP) and the Alliance for Public Health on research projects related to HIV prevention, scaling up OAT treatment, and HCV treatment in non-specialized settings.
I was also engaged in several projects in cooperation with Yale University, the West-East European Partnership Initiative on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Tuberculosis (WEEPI Foundation), WHO in Ukraine, Johns Hopkins University in the USA, 100% Life.

Anne Aslett is the global Chief Executive Officer of the Elton John AIDS Foundation which she has served for over 20 years. During Anne’s tenure the Foundation has saved over 5 million lives and raised more than $600million to support over 3,100 projects in 95 countries to help end AIDS.

Tetiana Kiriazova is a senior researcher at the Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy in Kyiv. Her main scientific interests are mitigating stigma and improving outcomes along HIV, addiction and TB treatment cascades in Ukraine and internationally.

Ala Iatco is a specialist in the field of public health and social assistance in the Republic of Moldova, who has a heightened sensitivity to the value of human life and for over 20 years has been organizing services, supporting communities affected by HIV, advocating for policies that support human rights, mobilizing resources to satisfy human needs and to diversify aid approaches.
Ala's core expertise relates to the organization and implementation of HIV prevention and reduction programs associated with drug use in the Republic of Moldova. Over the years, she has developed many social and health services for vulnerable groups, helped regulate them through policies and ensure their financing, including from domestic financial resources. From then until now, she supports the community to become more vocal and involved, better able to secure their rights and freedoms. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work, a Master's in Social Work and a Master's in Public Health Management, as well as academic experience as an assistant professor at ""Alecu Russo"" State University.

David Otiashvili is an Associate Professor of Healthcare at the School of Natural Sciences and Medicine, Ilia State University. David graduated from Tbilisi State Medical University and received a qualification as a psychiatrist. He spent ten years in clinical work treating patients with substance use disorders. As a NIDA Hubert Humphrey Fellow, he studied substance use research at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA. In 2014, he received PhD in Health Psychology from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Over the last decade, David's primary focus has been on research and education programs related to substance use and HIV. He has served as a Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator for numerous international collaborative research projects, including randomized controlled trials and epidemiological studies. Additionally, David has played a vital role in establishing a national drug situation monitoring mechanism in Georgia and serves as an expert in quality assurance for drug-related data collection. David has a sound record of experience as a consultant in health program evaluation for UN and EU agencies, bringing his expertise to bear on improving public health interventions worldwide.

I graduated from the School of Public Health (Management in Health Care – MPH) at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. My professional sphere of interest lies in the field of HIV and HCV prevention and treatment with a focus on research.
I am working with the Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy (UIPHP) and the Alliance for Public Health on research projects related to HIV prevention, scaling up OAT treatment, and HCV treatment in non-specialized settings.
I was also engaged in several projects in cooperation with Yale University, the West-East European Partnership Initiative on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Tuberculosis (WEEPI Foundation), WHO in Ukraine, Johns Hopkins University in the USA, 100% Life.

Anne Aslett is the global Chief Executive Officer of the Elton John AIDS Foundation which she has served for over 20 years. During Anne’s tenure the Foundation has saved over 5 million lives and raised more than $600million to support over 3,100 projects in 95 countries to help end AIDS.

Fariba Soltani is the Chief of the UNODC HIV/AIDS Section in Vienna and the Global Coordinator for HIV/AIDS. Ms. Soltani has over 25 years’ experience working on harm reduction and HIV prevention, treatment care and support among people who use drugs and in prison settings both at country and global levels.