ECDC-EMCDDA mission on HIV status and hepatitis surveillance in Latvia

At the invitation of the Latvian government, and in the context of high HIV levels in the country, ECDC and the EMCDDA have joined forces to assist national experts in preventing and controlling infectious diseases among different risk groups, including people who inject drugs. Six experts from the two European agencies are in Riga this week to review the status of HIV and hepatitis surveillance, prevention and control measures together with country experts and health service providers. The current ECDC–EMCDDA mission will focus in particular on the availability of harm reduction for drug users, testing and vertical transmission of HIV/HBV and will propose key actions for strengthening local services based on the assessment of the situation.