Focus on HIV

“Your Future Is in Your Hands” is the title of a photo exhibit that has just opened in Kyiv. The photographs show HIV-infected people and those who have received help from programs run by Medicins Sans Frontieres. The goal of the exhibit featuring the works of such well-known masters of photography as Oleksandr Hliadielov, Annie- Lora Kuryshchuk, Henryk Witta, and Bertien van Manen, is to increase HIV/AIDS awareness in Ukraine. The photos trace the lives of those afflicted with this disease. The most important aspect of this exhibit is the fact that it is possible to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. The exhibit shows that HIV-infected people can overcome the sickness with proper medical care and psychosocial support. Ukraine has the highest incidence of HIV in Europe. As of today, 83,340 people are officially registered as HIV-positive. The World Health Organization estimates that 17,300 patients need medical treatment. It is predicted that 1.9 percent of the Ukrainian population will be HIV- positive by 2015.