A ground-breaking partnership
The global community now has the tools to meaningfully address new HIV infections; however, HIV is on the rise in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA).
To address the challenges in EECA and leave no one behind in the global effort to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Gilead Sciences launched the ground-breaking RADIAN partnership in 2019.
RADIAN is a natural evolution of the existing collaboration between the Foundation and Gilead in the EECA Key Populations (EECAKP) fund, which gave the organisations a greater understanding of the urgent needs in EECA and the necessary experience to respond.
RADIAN aims to meaningfully address new HIV infections and deaths from AIDS-related illnesses in EECA through focused action, investment and resourcing to improve the quality of prevention and care for people living with or at risk of HIV in the region.
HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
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Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) is one of the few regions in the world where the annual rate of HIV infections continues to rise.1
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Each day, more than 400 people in EECA become newly infected with HIV.1
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In EECA nearly 100 people die from AIDS-related illnesses each day.1
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Deaths from AIDS-related illnesses have increased by around 190% in the last 20 years in EECA.1
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An estimated 1.7 million people in EECA are living with HIV.1
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Over 1 in 4 people living with HIV in EECA are not aware of their HIV status.1
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In EECA 56% of people living with HIV are not on treatment.1
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Almost all (99%) of new infections in EECA are among key populations. These groups often face discrimination due to stigma.1
Radian Model Cities
The RADIAN ‘Model Cities’ programme will provide significant funding from 2020-2025, to deliver measurable impact in the fight against HIV/AIDS in key EECA cities.
The programme will support innovative approaches, including new models of care and expanded prevention and healthcare programmes, led by groups who are on-the-ground and part of the community.
The first RADIAN ‘Model City’ is Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city.
The RADIAN ‘Model Cities’ programme in Almaty is supporting a group of six organisations to develop a cost-effective and scalable model to help Almaty achieve HIV epidemic control and ensure that people in the city, in particular from the most at-risk groups, can access stigma-free prevention, testing, and care.
The project will build on locally-led solutions and governmental structures to strengthen the city’s clinical and community-based HIV service delivery using evidence-based and patient-centred interventions. The project will focus on people living with HIV and the most vulnerable communities, including people who use drugs, men who have sex with men, transgender people and sex workers.
The Radian Unmet Need Fund
The RADIAN ‘Unmet Need’ fund supports local initiatives across the EECA region. Initiatives included focus on prevention and care, education, community empowerment, and novel partnerships. The programme is implemented locally, working with key stakeholders and partners.
Best practices and learnings from the local implementation of RADIAN from 2020-2025, will be used as a blueprint towards creating change across the region.
Together we can create change in EECA
About RADIAN
RADIAN aims to meaningfully address new HIV infections and deaths from AIDS-related illnesses in EECA, where deaths have increased by around 190% in the last 20 years1.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation and Gilead have an established presence in EECA and extensive experience of working effectively with key local stakeholders for many years, most recently through the EECAKP fund. RADIAN is a natural evolution of this three-year commitment, which gave the organisations a greater understanding of the urgent needs in EECA and the necessary experience and strategy to respond.
Both organisations, as well as potential additional partners in the future, will work together to leave no one behind in the global effort to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
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The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in 1992 and is one of the leading independent AIDS organisations in the world. The Foundation’s mission is simple: an end to the AIDS epidemic. With the mobilisation of our network of generous supporters and partners, we fund local experts across four continents to challenge discrimination, prevent infections and provide treatment as well as influencing governments to end AIDS. www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org
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Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. Gilead is dedicated to transforming and simplifying care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. We also recognize that it takes more than medicine to address challenges patients and communities face in accessing the best possible care, and we know that passion for scientific discovery alone — and that Gilead alone — cannot solve these challenges. Gilead applies the same values of partnership, integrity, and dedication to our work tackling the social and structural challenges that patients, healthcare providers and other partners must overcome to identify and elevate the best possible solutions.
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1.
UNAIDS (2020). UNAIDS Data 2020. Available at: https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/documents/2020/unaids-data [Accessed July 2020]
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2.
Kazakh Scientific Center of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases – 2019 Report. Available at: http://www.kncdiz.kz/
files/00005859.docx [Accessed November 2020] -
3.
Almaty City AIDS Centre. Available at: https://gcaids.kz/ru/
ctatistika [Accessed November 2020] -
4.
Censuswide. RADIAN pulse survey (sample: 1,001). January 2020. Survey commissioned by Gilead Sciences and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.