Those Living with HIV Assert Their Rights

 Five million citizens of Ukraine and eight million Russians could be infected with HIV by 2010 , according to the predictions of epidemiologists. This virus will spread over Ukraine and Russia in disastrous numbers if preventative steps arent taken.

The number of infected people will increase dramatically, with 30 percent of all patients in Ukraine being positive for the virus for 3 last years. The same situation is in Russia. Most infected people are between 15 to 39 years of age. Many politicians consider AIDS is threatening subject of national security . The expenses which must be born by both countries because of high medical care needed with this virus , can be presented in terms of hundreds of millions of dollars per year. The annual budget of any post Soviet country is unequal to the financial challenge.

A solution of this unique problem still seems out of reach. Part of the problems seems a lack of public education. Although many from the former Soviet space organization have received information about AIDS, simple polling shows that the Russian citizens are largely uneducated about the disease. Sixty-six percent of persons polled in Moscow believed that HIV could be spread by kissing. Forty-six percent of those same people believed that those found to be HIV positive should be quarantined from the general population. The narrow minded Soviet mentality that believed AIDS to be an illness of amorality has still not been discounted.

Another reason for the rapid growth of the high number of HIV infection is caused by the reuse of dirty and infected needles. IV drug users do not usually have access to sterile needles, and reused needles often contain blood. In Odessa City, for example, in the southern region of Ukraine, someone walking in the city during any time of day can purchase a syringe full of an inexpensive liquid drug. Local Gipis, considered famous drug traffickers feel free to sell their drugs in the center of the city. Although criminal policy is trying to establish drug laws that will enable them to address this problem, corruption within the police and government officials have made it difficult. The "drug village" Palermo, whos reputations was known abroad, was destroyed a few years ago. The municipal authority, despite their best attempts, were unable to effect any positive changes in a campaign against drugs. The Odessa Gipsis, having organized and marketed the distribution of the drugs in a way that would please any capitalist, , removed their "death factory" to another area near Odessa. It is a simple thing to meet drug retailers on any city street, bars, and night clubs. Most of the syringes offered have been used. The internationally sponsored pilot program for needle exchange is rarely seen offering clean syringes in exchange centers.

 The current fight against drugs has resulted in the incarceration of drug users in the former Soviet prisons. The Russian Deputy of GosDuma, Dr. Audrey Wulf, says, "Punitive measures for drug users dont solve this problem." He considers methadone treatment a much better treatment strategy, as has been used extensively in the West. But that opinion is not widely held, as even Mr. Sergey Tygypko, the Chief of Ukrainian National Bank considers, "Methadone users become as drug users in the nearest future. It means young people taking over for one drug on another, will be dying in 5 to 10 years. We should return these victims to normal like. It is possible to do relying on social and psychological assistance in medical centres or in special hospitals."

 Perhaps the recent decrees in the Ukraine can be reviewed soon. Although it is unknown if the treatments suggested to occur in medical centres will work and save the drug users from the illness of addiction. The United States certainly despite a long time prohibition on drug use, have a statistic of approximately 50% of all teens have, in 2001, tried marijuana or hard drugs. The overall American experience clearly points out the flaws in the strategy of Mr. Typypko and others.

 Unfortunately, the policy regarding drugs still follows the prior Soviet stance more than ten years ago we have no sex, we have no drugs. As though refusing to recognize the activity could make it not happen. But, of course, as the governments have had to recognize, there is both sex and drugs, both adding to the overall HIV problems. More than 100,000 Ukrainians and 1.6 million Russians are living with HIV now, due to unsafe sexual activity and the use of unclean injected drugs. And the numbers of those with HIV and AIDS are growing.

 Mrs. Taisiya Tadyka, an Odessa psychologist and scientist, has been helping people living with the HIV virus, especially those who have contracted it through drug use. Drug dependence, she claims, is not being treated. "But," she says, "we can see warnings of it. The dependence is being developed at the ages of between 1 and 3 years of age, when children are being deprived of the love of their parents."

 "People living with HIV/AIDS, drug users are in need of legal assistance," Odessa coordinator of NGO "Life +," Ms. Tatiana Afanasiadi states. "They go to hospitals to get any medical assistance because of complications caused by HIV infection. But often doctors refuse to provide them with services. In addition, the chiefs of secondary schools are often refusing to admit children with HIV. We are forced to get involved in the situation to help people to get medical and educational assistance."

 Ms. Anastasia Kamlyk, from Belarus, who is living with HIV, says she is able to manage all right with similar problems. On the recent Trans-Atlantic Summit Against AIDS, being held in Moscow, Russia, Ms. Kamlyk spoke about the problems of this viral infection. "I felt very bad and confused when I got this terrible diagnosis of HIV. Some of my friends left me. Only my parents and my psychologist stayed close and helped me. This helped me to not lose heart and become stronger. I joined in a NGO for persons living with HIV Positive Movement. We now assert our rights for medical service, education and privacy. Most importantly, we help others with the same problems."

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