NATIONAL STRATEGIC REFERENCE FRAMEWORK (NSRF)
IMPLEMENTATION OF A SCREENING PROGRAM – “SERVICES FOR
INFORMATION, MEDICAL CARE AND SUPPORT TO TARGET GROUPS”
OF PRAKSIS. “IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INTEGRATED PROGRAM OF
CONTROLLING OF HIV INFECTION IN HIGH RISK GROUPS”.
ΛΟΙΜΩΞΗΣ ΣΕ ΟΜΑΔΕΣ ΥΨΗΛΟΥ ΚΙΝΔΥΝΟΥ»
The National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) was fi-
nanced from the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity in the
framework of the European Program “Development of Human
Resources 2007-2013.” The aim of this program is the design
and implementation of an integrated program of control of HIV
infection in high risk groups in the area of Athens. More specifi-
cally, the central role in the strategy of controlling HIV infection
occupies the timely access to clinical care for HIV-infected indi-
viduals who remain undiagnosed through the offer of opportuni-
ties for diagnosis in the community.
Additionally, another basic aim is the promotion of safer behav-
iors not only for the HIV seropositive, but also for the seronega-
tives of the same high risk groups. Finally, the awareness and
education of health professionals with the goal of promoting the
timely diagnosis at the level of primary care, is a basic axis of an
integrated program of control of the HIV infection.
Specific objectives:
•
The design of suitable screening programs for HIV of spe-
cific population groups which have an increased probability
of exposure to HIV in the area of Athens (immigrants, prosti-
tutes, men having sex with men, clients of the sex industry
with multiple sexual orientations, victims of sexual trafficking,
their clients and promoters, users of intravenous drugs, etc).
•
Active discovery and initial inspection in the community of
people with high risk HIV infection and sexually-transmitted
diseases.
•
Documentation of positive diagnosesand direct linkages with
specialized care centers.
•
Offer of an integrated clinical care package, adjusted to the
needs of every target group, and an increased percentage of
those remaining in care for the target groups.
•
The development and application of programs of education
and awareness of medical and nursing staff in relation to HIV
infection and the initial screening with the goal of HIV diagno-
sis at the primary health care level.
•
Information for the prevention of further spread of HIV in-
fection and sexually transmitted diseases among HIV sero-
positives, but also to the community groups to which they
belong, aiming to change their behavior and to adopt safe
practices (safe sex, periodical check of the HIV status, stay-
ing in therapy and under surveillance, having the goal of
achieving a non-traceable viral load and, as a consequence,
to minimize the risk of transmission).
•
Information for the prevention of the spread of HIV infection
and sexually transmitted diseases in population groups that
make contact with high risk groups and run the risk of expo-
sure (clients of the sex industry, companions of the high risk
groups, etc).
•
Conduct of a nested epidemiological study in relation to the
transmission networks of HIV infection in Greece, the obsta-
cles in taking preventive measures and in the access in the
clinical care for every target group to design policies of pre-
vention based on safe scientific documentation.
112
