News

12.05.09

A new heading: Time to Live! is now found in the official website of Vladimir Pozner, a well-known TV journalist and TV program host; the section makes it possible to get acquainted with and comment on the talk shows.

The Time to Live talk show is the first Russian long-term socially oriented TV project to highlight regional HIV/AIDS issues in Russia. Vladimir Pozner was the initiator of the talk show and has been its host since the very beginning of the project.
During the 3.5 years of the project, talk shows were filmed in 38 Russian cities, including: St-Petersburg, Ulan-Ude, Ulyanovsk, Tver, Krasnoyarsk, Kazan, Nizhniy Novgorod, Volzhsky, Orenburg, Vologda, Pskov, Krasnodar, Kaliningrad, Irkutsk, Astrakhan, Ufa, Rostov-on-the-Don, Chelyabinsk, Stavropol, Saratov, Samara, Perm, Ivanovo, Tyumen, etc. In addition, two talk shows were produced in the teleconference format: one to arrange a discussion between three Siberian cities (Tomsk, Barnaul and Novosibirsk) and the other to connect Volga cities (Samara and Orenburg).

One may provide comments through the website and watch the talk shows which were produced with financial support from the Russian Health Care Foundation under the 4th Rounds GF Program.

The website:
http://vladimirpozner.ru /

06.05.09

On May 5 - 7, 2009, an HIV/AIDS treatment and HAART adherence training seminar is held for prison health personnel in the Republic of Komi under a project to improve ARV treatment delivery in prisons and with support from the Russian Health Care Foundation and UN Drug and Crime Office.

The training is attended by prison infectionists, therapists, TB doctors and psychologists working with HIV patients. Participants of the training include representatives from 26 prison facilities under the Directorate of the Federal Prison Service for the Republic of Komi.

Note: In Komi, out of 267 HIV-infected prisoners, only 16 patients are under ARV therapy.

30.04.09

Twenty years ago, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug started to establish its HIV/AIDS Service.

The first laboratories to diagnose HIV were opened in Khanty-Mansiysk, Surgut and Nizhnevartovsk.

At that time, health personnel had to address many problems related to HIV case detection and HIV patient monitoring on their own.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the service, a regional conference was held to discuss historical dimensions and current specifics of the HIV/AIDS epidemic to improve the response to the epidemic in the region. It took place in Khanty-Mansiysk on April 29, 2009 at the initiative of the Regional AIDS Centre which also acted as its organiser.

The conference brought together specialists in charge of HIV care from different parts of the region, and its agenda included approaches to HIV prevention among various populations, integrated measures to prevent vertical transmission, and up-to-date technologies of laboratory monitoring. Presentations made by T.Z. Loshcheva, Chief Physician of the Nizhniyvartovsk Centre, N.A. Ostapenko, Head of the Epidemiological Department, and M.K. Sharabakina and I,V, Lozovskaya, Physicians drew great attention of participants.

They were also very interested in lectures delivered by V.I. Shakhgildyan, Lead Specialist from the Federal AIDS Centre, who reviewed the process of introducing up-to-date approaches to treatment of chronic hepatites in HIV-positive patients, new diagnosis practices for HIV-associated diseases, and prospects for palliative care development.

M.A. Syrochkina, Coordinator from the Eurasia HIV/AIDS Care Project, shared experience gained by international organisations in effective monitoring of people living with HIV/AIDS.

The conference identified key steps towards stabilising HIV incidence in the region and measures to be taken to expand the scope of medical indications for timely referral to treatment.

The Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug is a participating region of the GF-funded HIV/AIDS Program of the 4th Round implemented by the Russian Health Care Foundation.

28.04.09

On April 27, 2009, the Health Directorate of the Federal Prison Service hosted a start-up meeting of a project aimed at improving access to HIV and viral hepatites B and C prevention, diagnosis and treatment services in prisons, to be implemented by the Russian Health Care Foundation under the National Priority Health Project.

The meeting brought together heads of prison health departments from 10 Russian regions participating in this project to:
• launch the project;
• choose an algorithm for preventive activities in prisons located in the selected regions;
• inform its participants about HIV/AIDS prevention practices; and
• consider possibilities for monitoring and evaluation of intended activities.

25.04.09

On April 24, 2009, a Time to Live talk show took place in Tyumen to discuss HIV/AIDS problems.

Vladimir Pozner, hosting the talk show, together with its participants tried to identify causes of so high HIV growth rates and hindrances to preventive programs as well as to assess the magnitude and relevance of the problem for the region. Before the program was broadcast, V. Pozner had a meeting with regional mass media.

”The HIV incidence is growing in Russia which is among the country with the fastest growth of HIV in the world”, said Vladimir Pozner, “Today, we have about 500,000 registered HIV infection cases, but their estimated number is much higher, which means that HIV has affected more than 1 % of Russian people. And this is a really grave situation. Therefore, the talk show is called to draw attention to the problem and may even contribute to making specific steps and decisions”.

As regards impact of this talk show, there are certain trends towards improvement of the situation, in the opinion of the program host: “After three and a half years, we see that the program has made its impact, it varies by region, but people do respond. In some regions, after the talk show, new regulations were adopted, in others, decisions were made to open new centres, to change practices of school education, etc., i.e. there are certain developments”.

It should be noted that not only specialists, involved in addressing the HIV problem, participate in the talk show, but also ordinary people who “are just interested”.

V. Pozner added that the Tyumen HIV/AIDS talk show was the 38th one in Russia, and some cities had had two talk shows already.

It is not occasionally that Tyumen was selected to become its participant: though the Tyumen Oblast is participating in the National Priority Health Project and the Program: Strategic Response to HIV -- Treatment and Care for Vulnerable Populations implemented by the Russian Health Care Foundation, today, the region has very high HIV incidence.

According to the journalist, the Tyumen Oblast has all prerequisites to improve the situation: it has resources of the budget, equipment and infrastructure.

”The Tyumen Oblast is a rich region, but it spends a lot of money on testing and detection of drug addiction. It cannot be argued that tests are reliable and based on appropriate methods. I am keen to know about their cost effectiveness,” said Vladimir Pozner, “I think that the Tyumen Oblast could be a pilot region to address AIDS in Russia. You have everything for it”.

The Time to Live! Talk Show was initiated by Vladimir Pozner and a group of international and Russian NGOs engaged in addressing HIV/AIDS issues. Core financial and organisational support for the Tyumen talk show came from the Russian Health Care Foundation.

24.04.09

С 20 по 23 апреля 2009 г. в рамках Приоритетного национального проекта в сфере здравоохранения Фонд "Российское здравоохранение" провел установочный тренинг для тренеров и координаторов профилактических программ на предприятиях.

В 2009 году в Приоритетный национальный проект был введен комплекс мероприятий по профилактике ВИЧ-инфекции и вирусных гепатитов В и С на рабочих местах, которые будут проводиться на пяти крупных предприятиях пяти регионах Российской Федерации. Помощь каждому из выбранных предприятий окажут специалисты региональных общественных организаций, имеющих большой опыт профилактической работы по ВИЧ/СПИДу.

В проекте примут участие следующие предприятия: ОАО Холдинговая компания "Барнаульский станкостроительный завод" (Алтайский край, г. Барнаул), ОАО "Уфалейникель" (Челябинская область, г. Верхний Уфалей), ОАО "Новосибирское Авиационное Производственное объединение" им. В.П. Чкалова (Новосибирская область, г. Новосибирск), ОАО "Ангарская нефтехимическая компания" (Иркутская область, г. Ангарск) и ЗАО "Авиастар - самолетное производство" (Ульяновская область, г. Ульяновск).

Из каждого региона в тренинге приняли участие два представителя каждого из выбранных предприятий, которые будут выполнять функции координаторов проекта и два тренера – представители региональных общественных организаций. Совместно они разработали конкретный план мероприятий для каждого предприятия. Всего профилактической деятельностью планируется охватить более 10 000 работников пяти предприятий.

Такой крупномасштабный проект по профилактике ВИЧ-инфекции и вирусных гепатитов В и С на рабочих местах проводится впервые на территории Российской Федерации. Полученный беспрецедентный опыт планируется представить в конце октября 2009 г. участникам Конференции по вопросам ВИЧ/СПИДа в Восточной Европе и Центральной Азии, а также на других международных и всероссийских конференциях.

22.04.09

On April 20 - 22, 2009, a training seminar on HIV/AIDS treatment and HAART adherence for Astrakhan Oblast prison health personnel was held under the project in support of improved delivery of antiretroviral treatment in prisons. Support for the training was provided by the Russian Health Care Foundation and the UN Drug and Crime Office.

The training was attended by prison infectionists, therapists, TB doctors and psychologists working with HIV patients. The seminar trained 20 representatives from 7 prison facilities under the Directorate of the Federal Prison Service for the Astrakhan Oblast.

21.04.09

Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, said that the financial crisis would be adversely affecting the epidemiological situation in developing countries. The Global Fund is a UN facility which receives money for its operations from member countries and the private sector.

Speaking at the International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA) Conference in Bangkok, Michel Kazatchkine warned that the Global Fund was expected to have a $4 billion budget deficit for the period of 2008-10. This shortfall, Kazatchkine said, threatens HIV prevention and treatment programs in the developing world.

Rich countries are likely to be unable to keep up their development aid commitments because of the world-wide financial crisis. But the HIV epidemic growth in the developing world will hit not only health, but economies as well.

Recently, the Global Fund announced its new initiative to combat malaria. An earmarked amount of US$ 225 million will be used to supply cheap anti-malarial drugs for 11 African countries.

Michel Kazatchkine also called for decriminalizing drug use to help halt the spread of HIV/AIDS. "I am talking about decriminalization of drug users," said Kazatchkine. "I am not talking about decriminalization of drug trafficking, there should not be any misunderstanding." It is common knowledge that drug use is a gate for AIDS. He stresses that “drug users have been looked towards as criminals” rather than as patients, they have no access to adequate health services, and it results neither into reduced use of illicit drugs, nor into reduced HIV incidence.

According to Michel Kazatchkine, “drug users are not respected in the very basic human rights perspective”.

14.04.09

As reported from the Press Service of the Altai Kray AIDS Centre, in April, 2009, a workplace HIV and viral hepatises B and C prevention program will be implemented in Barnaul as part of the National Priority Health Project to promote safe behaviour and healthy lifestyle among employees.

Such a program is really essential because the HIV epidemic has not only social, but also economic implications. Affecting working-age people, it impairs labour productivity, and increases temporary disability rates. Workplace information and education programs are a major element of primary prevention of HIV infection among people of working age.

The project will be implemented by the Altai Kray AIDS Centre and the Anti-AIDS Siberia Regional NGO and supported by the Russian Health Care Foundation. Public education activities will be implemented at the Barnaul machine-tool plant. A scoping meeting of specialists from the Regional AIDS Centre with the plant management is scheduled for April; project participants have been already identified.

At the initial stage, two representatives from the enterprise and two specialists from the Regional AIDS Centre will participate in a seminar to be trained in enterprise-specific public awareness practices. The seminar will take place in Moscow on April 20 - 23, 2009.

In May - June, 2009, it is intended to train representatives from the Barnaul machine-tool plant who will be involved in public awareness activities, particularly, human resource managers and health personnel as well as officers of labour safety and personnel training units.

It is also intended to survey employees of the enterprise (based on a questionnaire) to assess their awareness of how to prevent HIV, STI, viral hepatites B and C and psychoactive substance use. In June-October, 2009, a public awareness campaign will cover a broad range of employees of the enterprise and include training activities, and dissemination of information concerning prevention of HIV, viral hepatites, drug addiction, and promotion of healthy lifestyle.

13.04.09

Vladimir Pozner arrived in Ivanovo to film a Time to Live! HIV/AIDS talk show under the GF-supported Program: Strategic Response to HIV -- Treatment and Care for Vulnerable Populations in the Russian Federation which is implemented in the Ivanovo Oblast by the Russian Health Care Foundation.

On April 11, 2009, the talk show was broadcast through the VGTRK GTRK Ivteleradio Channel. Vladimir Pozner identified critical issues for the region. The program brought together top officials from the Ivanovo Oblast Administration, medical specialists, representatives from non-commercial organisations and mass media.

Vladimir Pozner stresses that the geography of the Time to Live! tele-marathon is very vast: it already visited St-Petersburg, Ulyanovsk, Ulan-Ude, Tver, Krasnoyarsk, Kazan, Vologda, Tomsk, Barnaul, Novosibirsk, Pskov, Orenburg, Irkutsk, Samara and other cities, and everywhere, it had broad response and awakened interest in mass media and among authorities.

According to V. Pozner, in Russia, the HIV epidemiologic situation is continually worsening and poses a real threat both to the country’s population and people living in the Ivanovo Oblast. As officially reported, there are 332.9 HIV-positive people per 100,000 population in the region (versus 306 in Russia on the average).

V. Pozner says that the Ivanovo Oblast remains the sad leader in this respect among regions of the Central Federal Okrug and is ranked the 27th in Russia as a whole. Today, there are 3,594 registered HIV cases in the region and the HIV growth rate remains high. In his opinion, prevention programs are not sufficiently effective though the region is well stocked with ARV drugs and test systems for HIV diagnosis, AIDS patients are provided with palliative care, multi-disciplinary teams are established to provide care for drug users with HIV.

During the talk show, the Governor of the Ivanovo Oblast noted that it was a great honour for the region to participate in such a socially significant project. “Regional authorities, no doubt, raise HIV/AIDS issues, but attention to such problems cannot be too excessive”, noted the Governor.

On the day before, V. Pozner participated in a press conference for local journalists and answered their numerous questions. On the same day, he had a meeting with students in the Ivanovo Medical Academy.