International Volunteer Day 5 December

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Volunteer with us!
LET US KNOW ABOUT YOU! We could not do our job without the help of volunteers. As an organization, we value the contribution of volunteers
If you are interested in volunteering in our activities, sign yourself up!

2021 Theme: Volunteer now for our common future
We aim to inspire people, whether they are decision makers or citizens of this world, to take action NOW for people and the planet.
The United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV) coordinates International Volunteer Day on 5 December every year to recognize and promote the tireless work, not just of UN Volunteers, but of volunteers across the globe. Every day, volunteers dedicate time and effort to ensure the inclusion of those often left behind, drive climate action and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
When people are encouraged to get involved in solving problems, the solutions are more likely to be feasible and lasting. Volunteers engage communities and build a people-centric movement to help build a better and safer future for us all.
For the generations of TOMORROW, we must take responsibility for the changes needed to build a better future NOW. Encouraging, recognizing and promoting volunteerism is an important part of creating a more equal and inclusive future for communities and worldwide.
In the lead-up to #IVD2021, let us celebrate the contributions of the millions who #volunteernow.

UN Volunteers, making a difference to the lives of many

Volunteering is giving, sharing, standing by others, supporting causes you care about and creating a better future for everyone.

Help us spread the message and volunteer for our campaign by:
Posting a photo, video or graphic to show how you #VolunteerNow for our common future! You can find visuals and other resources for common use in the campaign on this Trello Board
‘Nominating’ another person to also “volunteer now for our common future”, by tagging them with the hashtags #passiton #volunteernow #IVD2021. Example: “I volunteer to raise awareness about environmental sustainability/pant trees/do clean ups in my community. I #passiton to @UNVenture to also #volunteernow for #climateaction.”
International Volunteer Day logo
Did You Know？
70% of volunteer work does not involve any organization but happens informally between people in their communities.
A key risk factor for depression is social isolation. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against stress and depression.
Research shows that – compared with people who never volunteered – the odds of being “very happy” rose by 7% among those who volunteer monthly and by 12% among those who volunteer every 2-4 weeks.

Jaan Pliznik / Peer Consultant

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#ehpv #estonia #hiv #aids #community #plwhiv #tallinn #health #Mental #support

EHPV Estonian HIV-Positive Network presents: All people living with HIV should have access to treatment and the necessary support services should be available to them.

World AIDS day 2021 — END INEQUALITIES. END AIDS. END PANDEMICS, END COVID

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World AIDS day 2021 —

END INEQUALITIES. END AIDS. END PANDEMICS, END COVID

 

40 years have already passed since the moment when AIDS first appearead on our planet and 20 years since the moment of the beginning of concentrated HIV epidemic in Estonia.   Inspite of possesing the needed knowledge and tools, HIV is still the serious global threat for the humanity. We are missing the target to beat AIDS by the year 2030. We found ourselves not ready enough for the conditions of the new reality connected with the emergence of dangerous virus COVID 19, – and all these things are happening together with social-economic crisis and chaotic and unlinked actions for preventing the after-effect.

 

On the 1st of December, which is the World AIDS day, our network of people living with HIV in Estonia joins the UN call to point the mutual efforts for the purpose of ending inequalities and providing the equal possibilities for all the people inspite of their gender, race, nationality and level of income to get the needed support.

 

In our opinion we have to mobilize the join efforts to exterminate AIDS and COVID by means of fighting the economic, social, cultural and legal inequality. We need changes in political, economic and social spheres to protect vulnerable, especially marginalized social groups, – all those who cannot protect themselves, those who suffer because of the  conditions of pandemics and find themselves in hard life circumstances.

 

We are people living with HIV, we know how to end AIDS, we know what is inequality,  – the main reason preventing pandemics from being ended.

 

It is necessary to join the efforts to fight inequality, poverty, lack of the needed knowledge, and to maintain the general strategy to prevent the spread of pandemics nowadays and in the future:

financing and investment in the medical sphere, gender related development activities, good salaries for workers of the vital services, equal access to vitally needed medications, technologies and sources of information which may detect inequality.

 

World AIDS day was first announced by WHO in 1988 and since then we have achieved much. HIV infection has become chronical disease instead of the mortal one. People living with HIV who get needed ARV treatment in time and who follow all medical prescriptions are able to live long and happy life. There is no medication to stop AIDS, but it is possible to stop it from further development. Nowadays like never before we would like to mobilize all our efforts for ending stigma, discrimination, human rights violation and to convey the idea that we are all vulnerable. We need open dialogue, equal access to all existing types of prevention, help of specialists and support of community network.

 

Join us on the 1st of December to express your solidarity with people living with HIV and to remember those who died of AIDS and COVID-19.

  1. Light the memorial candle on your terrace, balcony in the garden or whenever you want
  2. Remeber and pray for those relatives, friends and mates who died of AIDS and COVID-19
  3. Share your memories and photos with us in social networks and don’t forget to tag us #ehpv or @ EHPV — Eesti HIV-positiivsete võrgustik

 

TALLINN

1st of December 2021

Lighting the candles in the form of Red Ribbon to commemorate people who died of AIDS

Time and location: 12:00, in front of the Superministry building, Suur-Ameerika 1

 

NARVA

1st of December 2021

Lighting the candles in the form of Red Ribbon to commemorate people who died of AIDS

Time and location: 12:00, Peetri plats

 

JÕHVI

1st of December 2021

Lighting the candles in the form of Red Ribbon to commemorate people who died of AIDS

Time and location: 12:00, Central square

 

CONTACTS

 

Tallinn

 

Latšin Alijev, +372 5870 6070- russian language

Vassili Skripkin, +372 5678 7838 ; Kadi Viljak, +372 510 0504 – estonian language

Viktoria Pressman, +372 58477979 – english language

 

Narva

Jekaterina Smirnova,  +372 5557 8131

 

Jõhvi

Natalja Slobožaninova, +372 5616 7097

 

Latšin Alijev

Director

E-mail: latsin.alijev@ehpv.ee

Mob (+372) 5870 6070

Rävala puiestee 8-1014, 10143 Tallinn

http://www.ehpv.ee

www.facebook.com/ehpv.ee

European Testing Week 2021 22-29 November

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Catch up on testing!
For HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs
Register and join Autumn European Testing Week 2021 22-29 November
Why participate in European Testing Week (ETW) this year? More than ever, ETW can help us refocus our attention to HIV, viral hepatitis and STI priorities in our countries and regions.
The COVID-19 pandemic and measures to control it have shifted staff, funding and resources away from other healthcare essentials. In October 2020, UNAIDS reported “
hile some countries have rebounded to pre- COVID-19 testing levels, in other countries, testing remains low.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has also demonstrated the ability of communities, governments and international bodies to take extraordinary measures to tackle infectious diseases. Let’s build on this in our work to increase testing.
It’s time to catch up on testing and regain focus on HIV, viral hepatitis and STI priorities.
Significant gaps remain in diagnosis of all these infections which can undermine international strategies to end HIV, viral hepatitis and STI as public health threats by 2030. Testing, especially in the context of combination prevention, is an essential health service, especially for marginalised and stigmatised populations such as sex workers, people who use drugs, migrants, people in prison, trans people and men who have sex with men, all of whom are often most at risk and most in need of targeted services.
decreases in HIV testing services in nearly all countries with available data”. Country level
significant
surveys report similar trends across Europe. W
ETW calls for
➢ Integrated testing
➢ Self-testing + self-sampling (for some infections where self-testing is not available) ➢ Testing in the framework of Combination Prevention
This year, ETW will launch simultaneously with International Testing Week, which is promoted by Coalition PLUS, with the participation of organizations around the globe.
We are all part of the solution!
Let ETW’s network and resources be part of your solution!

We recognise how difficult it has been to adapt services during the COVID-19 pandemic. During ETW in 2020 and Spring 2021, our webinars and online videos highlighted a number of innovations developed by you including telemedicine, online services, self- testing, open air testing, integrated testing, among many others. We encourage you to continue these great efforts.
In times of limited resources and heightened competition between priority areas, integrated testing for HIV, HBV/HCV and STIs can be a way to improve early diagnosis for all these infections with limited investment, as they share modes of transmission and overlaps in affected groups and high levels of co-infection. As highlighted in the HepHIV 2021 Conference, some of the things that can done to increase testing and improve early diagnosis are:
➢ Investigate opportunities to include HIV, viral hepatitis, STI and TB testing within SARS-CoV-2 testing programmes in high prevalence areas, settings or populations (e.g. emergency/intensive care units, prisons, homeless shelters etc.).
➢ Engage the general public in the discussion and response to infectious diseases, leveraging the opportunities opened by COVID-19 to communicate with the general public on these subjects;
➢ Ensure that messaging is positive, clear and consistent, originates from trustworthy sources, is relevant to the target groups, and includes a focus on the role of inequalities in controlling infectious diseases.
➢ Work to remove criminalising laws and policies and legal barriers to testing interventions, including barriers to lay-provider testing, testing at home and partner notification by taking advantage of the change in how health service delivery has been changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please register and join ETW, 22-29 November 2021!

http://www.testingweek.eu/ckfinder/userfiles/files/2021/FINAL%20theme%20statement%20ETW%20November2021.pdf

Believe and hope!

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Usu  ja looda! Sulliwan Erki Pehk. Kaire Vilgats.Kayha Burns(USA) XXI Sajandi Orkester

These days, filled with genuine, nothing undisguised grief from the loss of loved ones, friends of comrades-in-arms, you are acutely aware that it is impossible to get used to this … I understand that there will be a lot of grief … the rest of my life “, as it was said in some movie … the rest …
In our society, it is customary to avoid topics related to losses and, as a rule, people are left alone with trouble .. At the same time, I am grateful who responded and did not pass us by … Low bow to all of you.
Today, let there be bright sadness with us, these are memories filled with light, hope and faith in the future … we must live on! As they say, times are not chosen, we had to live in different eras that made us cry and laugh, and also think about life, death and love. In the morning, I unexpectedly received greetings in the form of this disc, which was released by the ECUO EHPV back in 2008 …
Thank you for reminding us of the existence of our long-standing international ART project. But we have our own song “Believe and Hope!”, Which took place thanks to our joint work. Much time has passed, but in my heart and soul there is Faith and Hope that we can still definitely see each other together.

ATTENTION: Job offer

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You can apply for the job offer here: https://www.cvkeskus.ee/projekti-koordinaator-tallinnas-eesti-hiv-positiivsien-vorgustik-mtu-736142?

To enlarge the image, press on the image. Thank you for your attention!

 

RUSSIA – REGULATIONS ON ENTRY, STAY AND RESIDENCE FOR PLHIV

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Entry regulations Residence regulations Additional information
No HIV testing is required for short-term tourist stays (up to three months). An HIV test is required for a multiple entry visa. A negative HIV test result is required for long-term stays (more than three months), for students and for foreign employees. Foreign residents found to be HIV positive are expelled.

Important: The entry bar, short-term stay restrictions and deportations apply to students, multiple entry and work visas only.

HIV-specific entry and residence regulations for Russia

A negative HIV test result is required for stays of more than three months.

(Source: 1)

If you are planning to remain in Russia for more than three months, you must provide a medical certificate of a negative test for HIV. The certificate must be valid for three months from the date of testing and include:

  • Passport details (full name, date of birth, passport number and country of residence)
  • HIV test information (date of test, test results and signatures of the doctor who performed the test and the person examined)
  • The length of your intended stay in Russia.

Other tests (such as for tuberculosis and leprosy) may be required for individuals staying in Russia for more than three months.

(Source: 2)

Some HIV/AIDS entry restrictions exist for visitors to and foreign residents of Russia. Applicants for longer-term tourist and work visas or residence permits are required to undergo an HIV/AIDS test. The Russian Government may also ask these applicants to undergo tests for tuberculosis and leprosy. Travellers who believe that they may be subject to these requirements should verify this information with the Embassy of the Russian Federation.

(Source: 3)

For stays exceeding three months, or a multi-entry visa, an HIV test is required.

(Source: 4)

Read more

September 10 is International Suicide Prevention Day.

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A person with depression needs your support and confirmation more than ever
This is a food for thought to say to support your friend.
This Friday, September 10, is International Suicide Prevention Day. Learn more about how you can participate and contribute:

peaasi.ee/olenolemas

#mental health #measure

 

COVID-19 vaccine deemed safe for people living with HIV

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People living with HIV should not be afraid of getting the COVID-19 vaccine and should rather discuss any concerns they may have with a medical practitioner, instead of relying on fake news.

The COVID-19 vaccine does not interfere with antiretroviral medication or cause adverse side effects people living with HIV, provided a person’s immune system is intact, meaning that they are not suffering from any other ailments or infections.

This is according to Dr Lerato Masemola, a general practitioner based in Johannesburg.

“Taking the vaccine while experiencing any symptoms of flu or illness may result in a more severe illness due to an already activated immune response to the current undiagnosed infection,” she said.

However, she added that it is important to avoid becoming overly anxious about the vaccine, especially based on fake news that is being proliferated by some people.

“Being concerned about vaccines is understandable, but panic states can mimic chest pains and shortness of breath, which can also be side effects post-vaccination.”

Masemola advised people who were unsure about getting vaccinated due to their concerns about their immune systems to seek further medical advice from their healthcare providers.

Same benefits for people living with HIV

According to a report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the COVID-19 vaccine holds the same benefits for people who are living with HIV, as they do for all individuals and communities – the prevention of severe illness and potentially reduced transmission of the virus.

“Advocacy is needed so that no one is left behind and so that the national vaccination programs do not exclude people from key populations who may have limited access to health services. Based on recent data, people living with HIV, regardless of their CD4 count, appear to be at an increased risk of severe outcomes and death due to COVID-19 compared to other people.”

The UNAIDS report shows how COVID-19 lockdowns and other restrictions have disrupted HIV testing and in many countries this has led to steep drops in HIV diagnoses, referrals to care services and HIV treatment initiations. – Health-e News

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COVID-19 vaccine deemed safe for people living with HIV