HIV infection in Russia remains at epidemic levels, and along with the rest of eastern Europe this is the only part of the world where infection rates are still rising.
So while last week’s news of a pilot vaccine developed in Novosibirsk is welcome, experts fear a relapse in official attitudes to a disease still often believed to be a scourge of undesirables or a foreign conspiracy.
After state virology research centre Vector announced it was close to producing one of the strongest available vaccines, AIDS campaigners urged Russia to do more to control the spread of infection right now as well as investing in long-term medical solutions.
No cash
“One of main problems now [is] that there is nearly no funding for prevention programmes in the federal budget for 2010,” UNAIDS Strategic Communications, Partnership and Advocacy Adviser Anna Chernyakhovskaya told The Moscow News.
“That means that those most at risk, such as injecting drug users, men having sex with men, commercial sex workers are not involved in any prevention activities. As injecting drug users are the main drivers of the epidemic in Russia it means that the epidemic will grow”.
The Moscow News
