Many in Armenia still speak guardedly or remain silent about HIV/AIDS.

Medical experts, however, claim that modern medicine makes it possible to control the infection and prevent its spread if the public is more informed and does not avoid testing.

As of December 31, 2025, 6,625 cases of HIV and 2,972 cases of AIDS were registered among Armenian citizens. 490 cases of HIV and 122 cases of AIDS were detected among foreigners in Armenia.

Karineh (name changed) has been living in Yerevan for two years. She is originally from Armenia’s Syunik Province. She found out that she was infected after undergoing a pregnancy medical exam. Because of this, she divorced and her close relatives avoided communicating with her. Feeling alienated, she decided to move to Yerevan to live separately in a rented apartment.

Karineh’s husband, not having a permanent job in Armenia, regularly traveled to Russia for work. He would return to Armenia for three-four months during the year. She immediately presumed that the infection had been transmitted from her husband and asked him to come from Russia and get tested. He refused and accused Karine of infidelity.

“He never came, he accused me of cheating on him and we divorced. My father-in-law kicked me out of the house. I went to my father’s house. I had nowhere else to go. But my parents wouldn’t sit at the table with me, they avoided communicating, supposedly so that they wouldn’t get infected too. I had to leave my father’s house as well,” says Karineh.

She was in a difficult psychological state and did not leave the apartment for days. She avoided any contact with people because she mistakenly believed she could transmit the infection via simple human contact. She knows better now.

“Now I have calmed down a bit and know how to control the infection. I get tested regularly. I don’t avoid contact with people, although I avoid saying that I am HIV infected. I am not ashamed. I think they will avoid me and I will lose my job,” says Karine, adding that she is a saleswoman in a supermarket.

The public in Armenia is still not well informed about HIV and its transmission routes. Many people think that HIV is transmitted by men or only by women, while the virus does not recognize gender.

The numbers mask human fates

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) damages the human immune system - the body’s defense against diseases. It is transmitted during unprotected sexual intercourse, through infected blood, from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, etc. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the final, severe stage of HIV infection. At this stage, the immune system is so weakened that the body is sometimes unable to fight various infections and diseases.

HIV is not transmitted by hugging or shaking hands, using shared utensils, kissing (if there are no bleeding wounds), through air or water, insect bites, using the same toilet or swimming pool, etc.

Testing helps with early detection and treatment.

According to Armenia’s National Center for Infectious Diseases, in 2018-2025, 3,717 new cases of HIV and 1,489 new cases of AIDS were detected among citizens of the country.

 In 2025, 514 new cases of HIV and 156 new cases of AIDS were detected. Of the detected cases of HIV, 467 were carriers of the Republic of Armenia, and 152 of AIDS. As for foreigners, in the last eight years, 350 new cases of HIV and 64 new cases of AIDS were recorded. Of these, 242 are citizens of Russia, 20 are citizens of Cuba, 14 are citizens of Ukraine, and 12 are citizens of India.

For 2018-2025, Yerevan leads in the number of new recorded cases of HIV and AIDS, 1,000 and 393 cases, respectively. In the provinces the largest number of new cases were detected in Shirak - 453 HIV and 190 AIDS cases. Then comes Lori - 389 new HIV cases, 144 AIDS cases.

As for the deaths from AIDS, in the last eight years the most deaths were registered in Yerevan - 223 people, Shirak Province - 92, Syunik Province - 73 cases. The fewest deaths were registered in Vayots Dzor - 16 people.

The data refers only to citizens of the Republic of Armenia as statistics on foreigners by province are not kept.

Most new HIV/AIDS cases are reported among males. In 2018-2025, 2,624 new HIV infections were reported among men and 1,093 among women, and 1,102 new AIDS cases were reported among men and 387 among women.

The majority of new HIV and AIDS cases are registered among those aged 25-39, with 1,696 and 550 cases, respectively, followed by those aged 40-49 with 893 new HIV and 458 new AIDS cases. In the last eight years, 39 new HIV and 19 new AIDS cases have been registered among those aged 0-14.

The National Center for Infectious Diseases reports that the infection is mostly transmitted sexually - 3,421 cases, followed by drug use - 229 cases. There have been 34 cases of mother-to-child transmission.

As of December 31, 2025, 4,258 Armenian citizens with HIV/AIDS are receiving treatment in Armenia, of which 2,819 are men and 1,439 are women. 110 foreigners are receiving treatment in Armenia: 84 are men and 26 are women.

Stigma and fear are the main obstacles to receiving treatment

Real World, Real People NGO President Zhenya Mayilyan says that to understand the situation in Armenia, one must look at the region and the world, as there is an interconnectedness.

There are countries that have set targets within the framework of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS to end AIDS by 2030, that is, at least 95% of the population should know their HIV status, be tested, receive regular treatment, etc.

As for the region, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, HIV cases here are not only not decreasing, but are increasing - in recent years, a 40-50% increase in new cases has been recorded.

“These are neighboring countries, there are migration flows, people are constantly on the move. This situation cannot but affect Armenia. The main reason our region does not reach 95% prevention indicators is discrimination related to HIV, which prevents people from receiving regular treatment,” says Mayilyan.

She says that in Russia, people living with HIV who are not citizens of the country are deported for a specific period or for life. Thus, people avoid appearing in the healthcare system, receiving medications, and if they do not receive medication, the viral load, and the likelihood of transmission from them increases. The person's health also deteriorates; they end up in the AIDS stage.

"When these people return to Armenia, they are already in the AIDS stage. This is not only unfavorable for the person from a financial and social point of view, but also from a health point of view," says Mayilyan.

Unlike Russia, the situation in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan is different. These countries not only undertake the examination of foreigners, provide them with medication, but also conduct contact prevention. 

Mayilyan says if all countries in the region adopted the same policy, they did not have punitive laws, and if a person were not afraid of his/her HIV status, they would receive proper treatment and would not transmit it to other people.

Mayilyan says that in Armenia, people’s understanding of the infection remains low, coupled with shame and discrimination. People are also discriminated against in the healthcare system because they are forced to talk about their status. People are fired from their jobs because of HIV. There are conflicts in families, people's personal data is distributed, including medical secrets, etc.

Mayilyan says that treatment is available in Armenia. Those who want to be treated receive free medication.

As for why Shirak  is the leader in the number of new HIV/AIDS cases in Armenia, Mayilyan mentions two factors, migration, and intravenous drug use.

The problem, however, is not only migration, since Gegharkunik also has a large migration flow, and the Lori Province is in second place in the number of new cases.

Mayilyan says that more than 40% of cases are diagnosed at the AIDS stage, extremely late. This means that HIV has been in their body for 5-12 years. This is due not only to late consultation with a doctor, but also to health issues. According to the NGO president, a person can be sent from one hospital to another for months, undergo various tests, but not think about HIV testing.

“The health system doesn’t recognize the virus very well. There is a need for training. Conversely, if someone has not come into contact with someone living with HIV, they do not know, do not think that it is possible to conduct research in that direction. Of course, some things are being done, but it’s not enough,” says  . Mayilyan, adding that the virus is not widespread in Armenia, therefore doctors do not focus on it.

Migration is the reason for the increase in new cases

In response to a written Hetq inquiry by Hetq, National Center for Infectious Diseases Director Armen Ohanyan notes that since 2018, the number of cases of HIV/AIDS has increased but has stabilized over the past three to four years.

This is due to the increase in HIV research data, as well as research among the target population.

Ohanyan says the increase in new cases is also due to migration factors, in particular, labor migration to Russia since the infection rate there is several times higher than in Armenia.

Armenia’s law “On the Prevention of Disease Caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus” regulates the procedure for conducting disease prevention, diagnosis, and surveillance. The law applies to both citizens of  Armenia and foreigners and stateless persons in the country.

 State funding of AIDS prevention and treatment programs, while a stated government priority,  is conducted within the framework of financial resources provided for in the state budget of each year.

Armenia’s Ministry of Health, responding to a Hetq inquiry, says the state budget does not collate separate funding data for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

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