The AIDS epidemic in Russia 2/15/07 12:30 PM

Russia as the largest growing population of people with AIDS

The first official case of HIV AIDS in the soviet union was in 1986 from a
soldier who contracted it in Africa- characterized by denial persecutiong and
cover-up
•197-1989 a series of centers to identify HIV positive people
•only .004% of tests were done anonymously and the majority were
done without the knowledge that you are being tested for HIV
•in 1995 there were over 10 milion cases of HIV/AIDS
•people are unaware that you cn be tested anonymously so they don’t
want to get tested
•Russian medical specialists go untrained in HIV
•statistics are not accurately reflected
World statistics
The extent of the epidemic in Russia
•populations most effected are changing
What are the causes of the AIDS epidemics?
•Lasting legacy of soviet medicine
oVertical medicine structure
•Chaos of the post-soviet period
oSocial controls were gone to make ure that doctors were
followig the rules
ono information provided about drugs
•lack of iformation means lack of preventative care
•prevention and treatment programs that wrre there were staved of
funds
•fewer than 2000 russians are receiving ARV drugs
•in 2003 russia spent I 25 million in drugs
•social ostracization
•lack of harm reduction systems
oas you criminilize drug users they stop using harm reductions
What is needed?
•preventative care
•screening
•reasonable, affordable treatment
•counseling
•civil society
oevery member serves as a watchdog for the government
•a general change in attitude is needed
What I being done?
The Globus fund
•they have forced the government
•small programs can have a significant impacttheyve also helped push
down the cost of the ARV’s
2/15/07 12:30 PM
2/15/07 12:30 PM