Re: HIV spreading fast in Russia

[Guest guest]

One of the big problems here has to do with the "victorian" sexual beliefs of the Russians. These beliefs continue to be promulgated by the very old-fashioned Orthodox Church which has a very tight grip on the people.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

From: <rumjal@...>Subject: [Flu] HIV spreading fast in RussiaFlu Date: Friday, November 21, 2008, 5:08 PM

AIDS official: HIV spreading fast in RussiaBy Steve Gutterman, Associated Press Writer – MOSCOW – A top Russian anti-AIDS coordinator on Friday lambasted thegovernment's approach to fighting HIV, saying the number of registeredcases was growing 10 percent a year despite increased federal funding.A misguided focus on treatment instead of prevention has underminedefforts to combat AIDS, said Vadim Pokrovsky, head of the state-fundedFederal AIDS Center, which is charged with coordinating efforts."It seems to me that we still have no national policy on fightingAIDS," Pokrovsky said. "We are running in place, and meanwhile HIV isspreading."Each day about 130 new cases are registered in Russia, Pokrovsky said,estimating there are more than 1 million Russians infected with HIV —or almost 1 percent of the country's 142 million population — thoughofficially Russia has registered less

than half that number at 470,000.A large number are young drug users infected by dirty needles ortainted communal drug supplies, experts say.However, widespread social stigmas, misinformation and official denialmean many people remain unaware they are at risk of being infectedwith HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.Some regional governors "have simply refused to acknowledge theproblem of AIDS," Pokrovsky said. Others, assuming higher spendingwould make the problem go away, have done little to publicize theproblem, he said."Everyone needs to understand that this is a threat to the nation, andit's necessary to mobilize as one would for war," Pokrovsky said.He urged the government to devise a clear strategy for informingcitizens about HIV, and said funding would have to be used more wiselyfor results.Starting in 2006, the government — enriched with oil-boom proceeds

—exponentially increased funding for the battle against AIDS as part ofa push to improve health care and stem Russia's population decline.The government says budget spending for HIV-related activities lastyear amounted to 10.7 billion rubles ($445 million) and was more than50 times higher than in 2005.Pokrovsky said it is spending at least 7.1 billion rubles ($270million) on HIV/AIDS programs this year, including 5.1 billion rubles($193 million) on drug treatments for 30,000 HIV-infected patients,but only 200 million rubles ($7.6 million) for prevention — which hecalled inadequate."This is the weakest point in our work: prevention of new cases ofinfection," he said. "We are doing practically nothing about this."He said the state plans to increase spending further in coming years,but expressed concern that the deepening economic crisis couldjeopardize those plans.The money

that is earmarked for prevention was often being misspent,he said, citing an example of a 100 million ruble ($3.6 million) AIDSawareness TV program that aired at 8:30 a.m. nationwide — a time whenthe audience was mostly pensioners and unlikely to be in any high-riskgroups. (This version CORRECTS Subs lede to correct Pokrovsky's title; subsgrafs 10-12 to remove erroneous reference to lower spending figure for2008 resulting from economic crisis.)http://news. / s/ap/20081121/ ap_on_re_ eu/eu_russia_ aids_4

[Guest guest]

n sexual beliefs? In Russia???

>

> One of the big problems here has to do with the " victorian " sexual

beliefs of the Russians. These beliefs continue to be promulgated by

the very old-fashioned Orthodox Church which has a very tight grip on

the people.

>

> Do one thing every day that scares you.

> Eleanor Roosevelt

[Guest guest]

Russia tends to be quite prudish, and the Russians loathe homosexuals.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

From: <rumjal@...>Subject: [Flu] Re: HIV spreading fast in RussiaFlu Date: Monday, November 24, 2008, 11:08 PM

n sexual beliefs? In Russia???>> One of the big problems here has to do with the "victorian" sexualbeliefs of the Russians. These beliefs continue to be promulgated bythe very old-fashioned Orthodox Church which has a very tight grip onthe people.> > Do one thing every day that scares you.> Eleanor Roosevelt

[Guest guest]

Really? All Russians?

>

> Russia tends to be quite prudish, and the Russians loathe homosexuals.

>

[Guest guest]

Hit 's search engine. See what you find.

I know far too little about Russia to comment on this, except to say

that if HIV is going through Russia like wildfire, then I would bet it

is also spreading rapidly in the Arab world. I would also suspect

that the governments in these nations want to devote very little in

the way of national resources to the problem, since to devote

resources is to acknowledge that the problem exists. One is left then

with the dismal conclusion that the governments will acknowledge the

problem when those in power discover that HIV is affecting their

friends and families.

>

> Really? All Russians?

[Guest guest]

Probably not all Russians, but there is a definite ethos which fosters the notion that sex is "dirty" somehow. We have the same problem in certain groups here in the US; and there is no doubt that even in the most "enlightened" countries there is this kind of thinking among some people. This thinking discourages appropriate and factual sex education, thus contributing to the spread of HIV and other sexually transmissible diseases as well as to many unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

From: Don <DCFrench@...>Subject: [Flu] Re: HIV spreading fast in RussiaFlu Date: Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 12:42 PM

Really? All Russians?>> Russia tends to be quite prudish, and the Russians loathe homosexuals.>

[Guest guest]

,

I am always skeptical and uneasy when someone makes a demeaning

generalization about an entire nation of people. It would be about as

accurate to say that Americans are racists because racism pervades our

society.

Don

>

> From: Don <DCFrench@...>

> Subject: [Flu] Re: HIV spreading fast in Russia

> Flu

> Date: Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 12:42 PM

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Really? All Russians?

> >

> > Russia tends to be quite prudish, and the Russians loathe homosexuals.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Don, Please do not bait . I will not have my Moderators

fighting. We have far too many important things to do here.

Did anyone notice that I just banned a spammer from FP and from

Virology? I left his or her clearly FRAUDULENT post here for those

who need a laugh.

http://tech./group/virology/message/100

>

> ,

>

> I am always skeptical and uneasy when someone makes a demeaning

> generalization about an entire nation of people. It would be about as

> accurate to say that Americans are racists because racism pervades our

> society.

>

> Don

[Guest guest]

I have to confess that I came to my conclusions because of my association with the local Russian community in San Francisco, which is quite formidable. Interesting that when the subject of homosexuality has come up I've invariably heard "We don't have anything like that in Russia." Hm .....

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

From: Don <DCFrench@...>Subject: [Flu] Re: HIV spreading fast in RussiaFlu Date: Friday, November 28, 2008, 9:27 PM

,I am always skeptical and uneasy when someone makes a demeaninggeneralization about an entire nation of people. It would be about asaccurate to say that Americans are racists because racism pervades oursociety. Don > > From: Don <DCFrench@.. .>> Subject: [Flu] Re: HIV spreading fast in Russia> Flu> Date: Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 12:42 PM> > > > > > > Really? All Russians?> >> > Russia tends to be quite prudish, and the Russians loathe homosexuals.> >>

[Guest guest]

Not a problem, . Sometimes I do need to be "called" on some things I say. It helps me rethink and clarify my position.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

From: <rumjal@...>Subject: [Flu] Re: HIV spreading fast in RussiaFlu Date: Saturday, November 29, 2008, 5:54 PM

Hi Don, Please do not bait . I will not have my Moderatorsfighting. We have far too many important things to do here.Did anyone notice that I just banned a spammer from FP and fromVirology? I left his or her clearly FRAUDULENT post here for thosewho need a laugh. http://tech. groups.. com/group/ virology/ message/100>> ,> > I am always skeptical and uneasy when someone makes a demeaning> generalization about an entire nation of people. It would be about as> accurate to say that Americans are racists because racism pervades our> society. > > Don

[Guest guest]

Ok, thank you. I just want peace on the board and attention to

spammers. I have felt alone in trying to combat spammers, tho I admit

that I may be wrong because I would not know if others had banned

spammers and deleted spam.

>

> Not a problem, . Sometimes I do need to be " called " on some

things I say. It helps me rethink and clarify my position.

>

>

>

> Do one thing every day that scares you.

> Eleanor Roosevelt