On December 4 the meeting on effective counteraction to HIV/AIDS in Ukraine headed by President Viktor Yushchenko took place at President’s Secretariat, President's press office reports. 

Viktor Yushchenko criticized government’s work in that field. He presented latest statistics according to which there are currently over 119 thousand of HIV-positive and over 21 thousands of AIDS ill people in Ukraine.

President expressed even more worries about the tendencies. According to prognoses, if the approach stays intact there will be 150 thousands of HIV/AIDS ill Ukrainians in three years and about 820 total by 2014.

Viktor Yushchenko said that these statistics are the results of government’s inertness. According to him, there are issues requiring urgent attention.

First of all governmental purchases of antiretroviral medications lack transparency. That leads to irregularity of medications supply as well as to questionability of their quality. Therefore President urged the Office of the Prosecutor General to conduct a “total inspection of all tender purchases operations made by the Ministry of Health”.

Viktor Yushchenko also pointed out issues with financing counteraction measures against HIV/AIDS. Despite 6 time growth of budget provided financing in 2007 compared to 2004 only 50% of present 98 million hryvnyas have been used to fight HIV/AIDS during past 10 months.

In addition, President emphasized that UAH 112 millions provided in draft budget for 2008 are insufficient even for treatment of those who are already ill not to mention preventive measures or purchase of necessary medical equipment. Therefore, he demanded that all corresponding expenses are taken into account by draft budget for 2008 saying that he would not sign a budget law which disregards expected expenses numbers prepared by the Ministry of Health.

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