Quarterly Report # 3: Penitentiary, Law Enforcement & Drug sectors Government Efficiency in HIV response

The project is implemented by the UNODC Programme Office in Ukraine in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, and other stakeholders. The project is funded by USAID/Ukraine and builds on the existing work of the UNODC's regional programme XCEA01. The project's goal is to build support among Ukrainian law enforcement officials and other key government stakeholders for HIV/AIDS and drug dependence treatment services targeted at MARPs, including service delivery within pre-, in-, and post-detention settings. The project's objectives include creating an environment supportive of evidence-informed and human-rights-based HIV/AIDS and drug dependence treatment programs among MARPs, and strengthening capacities of the State Penitentiary Service, public health, and social services to provide comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, and care services in prison settings. During the reporting period of April 1, 2012, to June 30, 2012, the project achieved several key outcomes. A national round table meeting was organized on May 16 to strengthen the role of law enforcement in the implementation of the national HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care strategy. The meeting brought together representatives of the Ministry of Interior, the State AIDS Centre, and international and local NGOs implementing projects and programs in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in Ukraine. The project established cooperation with the Law Enforcement and HIV Network (LEHN) to facilitate the implementation of best international experience of cooperation between law enforcement and public health sectors in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. The project also organized a national advocacy and awareness-raising seminar on HIV in prison issues on April 27-28 in Kherson City. The meeting brought together the heads of oblast-level units of medical service of the State Penitentiary services of Ukraine, representatives of the medical department of the Service, representatives of international and local organizations, and the deputy head of the State AIDS Centre. The participants discussed the current HIV/AIDS situation and challenges, and the following information was provided: a general overview of achievements and problems in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment policy implementation in Ukraine, the current situation on the HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support programs implementation in prison and pre-trial detention settings in Ukraine, and the results of the conducted research on HIV prevalence. The project also supported the participation of law enforcement officials in the regional consultation in Bishkek on mid-September 2012 and in the First International Conference on Law Enforcement and Public Health in Melbourne, Australia, on November 11-14, 2012. The project's activities and achievements demonstrate its commitment to reducing HIV transmission among MARPs in Ukraine and strengthening the capacities of the State Penitentiary Service, public health, and social services to provide comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, and care services in prison settings.