Almaty, December 04, 2012 – The USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), organized and conducted a public event devoted to the World AIDS Day in Almaty.  The event was conducted in close cooperation with City AIDS Control Center and other partners from government, international and local non-government organizations.

World AIDS Day is recognized in December of every year in an effort to bring together people from around the world while raising awareness about HIV & AIDS and demonstrating international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. This day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV & AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries as well as around the world. The theme of the 2012 World AIDS Day will be "Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths." The World AIDS Campaign focus on "Zero AIDS related deaths" signifies a push towards greater access to treatment for all; a call for governments to act now.

According to the data from Republican AIDS Center, in Kazakhstan there are 19,183 of people living with HIV (PLWH) annually, and some experts estimate that this number is even higher. The main way HIV is transmitted in Kazakhstan is through the shared use of needles/syringes and equipment by drug users, which makes up 61.8% of HIV cases. Transmission through sexual contact comprises 30.6%; this number has been increasing recently. Furthermore,, Kazakhstan is a well-known host country for migrant workers from neighboring countries. The majority of these migrant workers are undocumented and have limited access to health information and health facilities in the country of destination. As a result, these migrants are placed  at a high risk of getting infected with HIV.

To reduce the risks associated with HIV infection, an awareness raising campaign on HIV prevention among migrant workers conducted in Almaty. During the public event in Almaty, migrant workers were able to improve their knowledge about existing services in the host country, and they received educational materials and information about services provided by the USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project in Almaty. They also received information about services provided in their home countries. In addition, the agenda included a quiz on HIV which focused on the ways of HIV transmission and the methods of prevention. An interactive theater performance was also organized by the students of the Almaty theater college. 
 
The USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project provides technical assistance, training, and direct outreach services to increase access to quality HIV and TB prevention and treatment services among most-at-risk populations (MARPs). The program is implemented by a consortium of non-governmental organizations led by Population Services International and includes Project HOPE, the AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW), and the “Kazakh Union of People Living with HIV/AIDS in RK”.

The USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project is one of the many assistance projects supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID. Since 1992, the American people through USAID have provided more than $500 million in programs that support Kazakhstan’s democratic institutions, social sector, and economic growth.