Interview met professional

What is the government’s role right now?

The government’s national hiv/aids policy is to have a campaign for the general public to inform them about better health and life skills in general. There won’t be a campaign targeting the keypopulations at risk – like injecting drugs users, prisoners, sex workers, men having sex with men, young people.


What more can the government do to solve this problem?

What problem? The spreading of HIV you mean? They could and should start information and education activities specifically targeting the people at risk, see above. They could/should start with education activities at schools.

What is society’s role in the problems surrounding HIV?

A lot of myths about hiv and aids are still going around. Lack of knowledge and misunderstanding about hiv. And much stigma and discrimination to people living with hiv, and injecting drugs users.


Why is there so little awareness (About hiv/aids)?

Lack of information. NO easy access to prevention/information materials. Taboo around hiv and sex.

Where does the stigmatization come from? (The government, society, culture differences etc.)

From government and from society.


Our research pointed out many patients fear discrimination more than the actual health issue. Is this true and if so, why?

Yes, you don’t feel sick when you have hiv, at least not in the first phase of the infection. Aids symptoms come later, after a couple of years. When you know your hiv status, and you are infected you will be an outcast of society. Doctors won’t help you, no employment, and family throws you out. Partners are leaving you.

What are the biggest changes organizations like yours have made over the years?

We made information available. We train service providers, doctors, nurses, prison staff about hiv to remove the myths. And we empower the people living with hiv so that they can face the challenge of stigma and discrimination.

We would like to know about the main problems within each of these specific groups of HIV patients?

What kind of groups do you mean?

Injecting drugs users are more stigmatized, like the sex workers. Also (ex) prisoners are not welcomed back into society.

These groups have difficult access to care because of stigma and discrimination.


Can an NGO that aids Russians with hiv problems count on help from governments (the Russian government & western governments) and are there any specific rules or regulations by the government that need to be considered?

The Russian governement is not supporting international NGO’s. They only give financial support to specific Russian NGO’s. International donors don’t give money to activities in Russia anymore. Russia is not considered as a developing country. It is rich enough to cover all related costs by itself.