In Kamchatka, the number of patients with HIV infection is growing, some of them are refusing treatment: news agency “Kam 24”

“93% of registered patients are covered by antiretroviral therapy (human immunodeficiency virus belongs to the group of retroviruses). Why not 100%? Unfortunately, there are people who refuse treatment. For us it is voluntary. We call patients if for some reason a person does not go to the doctor. Among those who refuse therapy, there are also people who do not believe in the existence of HIV at all – the so-called HIV dissidents – and therefore do not want to be treated. Indeed, at the first stage of development of HIV infection, patients may not experience any discomfort at all for a long time. But there are only a few such people. The category of people not receiving treatment also includes people with alcohol and drug addiction, who do not show up for appointments and fall out of our sight,” said the head of the clinic of the AIDS Center in Kamchatka in an interview with the Kam 24 news agency. Evgenia Tyapkina.

According to her, medications are provided to HIV-infected people free of charge and for life. All patients are provided with them; there is no shortage of drugs in the Kamchatka Territory.

Read the full version of the interview with Evgenia Tyapkina in the “I have an opinion” section.