Rising numbers of HIV-infected people in Russia is becoming a threat

Rising numbers of HIV-infected people in Russia could become a national threat
HIV could soon become a national threat in Russia as more and more people of working age become infected with the virus. Many barely have access to medicines. Physicians call for a government strategy to reduce HIV and AIDS.

HIV infections in Russia are caused in 40 percent of cases by heterosexual contacts
In four to five years, the number of HIV-infected people could have doubled to two million, warns the doctor Wadim Pokrovsky, head of the federal center for the fight against immunodeficiency, on Thursday in conversation with the agency Interfax, as the news agency "dpa "Reported. Doctors now see the country's security threatened by the rapid rise in the number of cases. Pokrowski therefore calls for a government strategy to reduce HIV and AIDS.

According to the center, the number of AIDS deaths is also rising sharply in Russia. "The situation is worsening," the news agency quoted from a message. In 2014, the number of deaths increased by almost ten percent over the previous year to 24,416. According to the Center, especially drug addicts who get infected by contaminated syringes and women would get sick. Most are of working age. It affected the "general population", not just individual groups such as homosexuals. These make up only one percent of new infections. At 40 percent, heterosexual contacts are the cause of the infection.

Many HIV-infected people in Russia have little access to medicines
The situation in Russia is also aggravated by a lack of medicines. According to official data, there are 930,000 people living with HIV in the country, which has more than 140 million inhabitants. However, according to experts, the number of unreported cases could be significantly higher, as many people are not tested for HIV. One of the reasons is the fear of social exclusion, which is confronting many HIV-infected people in Russia.

According to Pokrovsky, therefore, "more education about the infectious disease must be done". As an example, the doctor called Germany, "where children were already informed about HIV and AIDS at school". In addition, the legalization of prostitution and programs for drug addicts would have had a positive impact. Finally, "in Russia, 200 million rubles (3.5 million euros) have been invested in an information campaign on HIV, which has hardly caused anything because of the small amount," said Pokrovsky. The three vaccines against HIV that are currently being developed in the country should not expect too much. The test phases are very complicated and expensive. In addition, the success was uncertain. At the earliest in five years, initial successes could be measured, if they even showed.

In Germany, the number of new HIV infections is rising
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), about 80,000 people in Germany are affected by HIV or AIDS. In 2013, about 3,200 new infections were registered. According to RKI estimates, most of the afflicted (about 2,400) were infected with sexual contacts between men and about 550 became infected with heterosexual contacts. About 300 people were infected by drug use with HIV. Thus, the number of new infections in this country has increased by about ten percent compared to 2012. In addition to the actual increase in new cases, the increase, according to the RKI, is also due to improved data and increased research among doctors. (Ag)