Project Objective & Brief Description: |
In Belarus, the number of HIV/AIDS infected individuals has grown by leaps and bounds ever since 1996. Starting from just eight HIV- positive cases in late 1995, the number had increased to 1021 by the end of 1996.
Relative to the adult population, Belarus has one of the highest numbers of HIV/AIDS cases in Eastern Europe and the CIS. According to Human Development Report 2000, HIV/AIDS-infected individuals aged 15 to 49 represented 0.17% of the population in 1997, opposed to 0.01% in Estonia and Lithuania, 0.05% in Russia, 0.06% in Poland and 0.43% in Ukraine.
Intravenous drug users (IDUs)-81% of all HIV cases-comprised the absolute majority of new HIV cases in 1999. A majority of drug users (57%) have sexual partners who do not use drugs. Furthermore, some female drug users are involved in prostitution, however, the average rate of condom use is relatively low (less than 33%). As these statistics suggest, IDUs are an important target group for any effective AIDS prevention effort. Since only a relatively small proportion of IDUs register with the Drug Addition Treatment Service and seek treatment-no more than 10%, according to estimates by the law enforcement and health authorities-harm reduction seems to be a valid approach.
The project was thus aimed at developing the capacities of local communities to carry out HIV and drug abuse prevention among IDUs.
The project set up eight needle exchange centres in Minsk, Mogilev, Pinsk, Soligorsk, Svetlogorsk and Vitebsk. Not only do these centres provide IDUs with access to clean syringes, bleach and condoms, but also educate them on ways of reducing the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. A 1999 on-site assessment of the project in Svetlogorsk revealed that IDUs adopted less risky behaviour patterns. As a result, some IDUs have even become involved in the project as outreach workers.
Furthermore, the project's achievements increased the ability of the project teams to influence local AIDS prevention policies.
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