This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/health/8329122.stm
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Russia warned about HIV epidemic | Russia warned about HIV epidemic |
(about 12 hours later) | |
A top international HIV/Aids expert has told the BBC that the epidemic in Russia is now out of control. | A top international HIV/Aids expert has told the BBC that the epidemic in Russia is now out of control. |
Robin Gorna, head of the International Aids Society, urged Russia to do much more to prevent the spread of HIV among an estimated two million drug users. | Robin Gorna, head of the International Aids Society, urged Russia to do much more to prevent the spread of HIV among an estimated two million drug users. |
Ms Gorna was speaking ahead of a major international conference on Aids which is taking place in Moscow. | |
It is believed there are now at least a million people infected with HIV in Russia. | It is believed there are now at least a million people infected with HIV in Russia. |
This represents a dramatic increase over the past decade. | This represents a dramatic increase over the past decade. |
The vast majority are people under the age of 30. Most were infected because they share needles for injecting heroin. | The vast majority are people under the age of 30. Most were infected because they share needles for injecting heroin. |
According to some estimates, there are almost two million intravenous drug users in the country - the result of the large quantities of heroin flowing from Afghanistan into Russia. | According to some estimates, there are almost two million intravenous drug users in the country - the result of the large quantities of heroin flowing from Afghanistan into Russia. |
Wider epidemic fears | |
International experts have raised concerns over Russian laws which they say hamper efforts to slow down the HIV infection rate. | |
It is illegal to give drug addicts substances such as methadone as an alternative to injecting heroin. | It is illegal to give drug addicts substances such as methadone as an alternative to injecting heroin. |
As the conference opened on Wednesday, Russia's chief medical official acknowledged the scale of the epidemic, but insisted there would be no change of policy on methadone. | |
Gennady Onishchenko said that HIV infections in Eastern Europe and Central Asia were "a highly important problem for all of us, not only for medical but also for social reasons". | |
"The danger is that the epidemic will cross over from a concentrated one to a general one," he said. | |
But he added that methadone would remain illegal. | |
"Russia speaks out categorically against this component in prevention programmes," he said. | |
The Russian government also does not fund any needle exchange programmes. | |
There is particular concern because until now international donors have financed the major prevention programmes in Russia. | There is particular concern because until now international donors have financed the major prevention programmes in Russia. |
But they are having to stop their funding because Russia is now considered to be a middle-income country and does not want to receive financial aid from abroad. | But they are having to stop their funding because Russia is now considered to be a middle-income country and does not want to receive financial aid from abroad. |
Previous version
1
Next version