RUSSIA'S HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC GROWS STEADILY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MOSCOW 000536 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR OES/IHA USAID FOR GH, E&E HHS FOR OGHA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KHIV TBIO SOCI SCUL RS SUBJECT: RUSSIA'S HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC GROWS STEADILY REF: A. 06 Moscow 5353 ¶B. 06 Moscow 4543 ¶C. 06 Moscow 1811 MOSCOW 00000536 001.2 OF 003 THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Russia's HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to grow, though not at the same fast pace that occurred in 2000-2002. Infections continue to be concentrated among injecting drug users, but the epidemic is also spreading through heterosexual sex, primarily among the partners of high risk groups such as sex workers and drug users. In 2007, 44 percent of new cases were among women, most estimated to be among or linked to high risk groups. Russian Government spending on HIV/AIDS treatment has grown exponentially, and over 30,000 people are now receiving anti-retroviral therapy. Although the government has spent comparatively little on HIV prevention activities, Government officials recognize that they must increase spending in this area, and have been looking to the NGO community for examples of successful outreach, prevention and care programs. Russia will face significant challenges to increase adherence to therapy among patients, and to effectively tackle AIDS-related co-infections such as tuberculosis and hepatitis. END SUMMARY. -------------- HIV/AIDS Cases Growing Steadily -------------- ¶2. (U) Some 400 medical professionals and researchers from regional AIDS centers, the Health and Social Development Ministry, health NGOs, and research institutes gathered in Suzdal December 4-6 for the annual All-Russian Conference on HIV/AIDS. Gennadiy Onishchenko, Russia's Chief Medical Officer and the head of the Federal Surveillance Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being (Rospotrebnadzor),opened the conference by stating that despite substantial efforts over the last several years, Russia's HIV/AIDS epidemic was growing steadily. About 403,100 HIV cases had been officially registered in Russia since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began 26 years ago, of whom some 350,000 people were still alive today. ¶3. (U) According to Vadim Prokovskiy, Director of the Federal AIDS Center, the number of newly registered HIV cases in 2006 stood at 39,652, a 1.7 percent increase over the number of cases registered in 2005. This number was still well below the 87,823 cases recorded in 2001, when the number of new cases reached its highest level. Intravenous drug use remains the most common route of transmission of HIV infection, with 65 percent of newly registered cases among drug users. More than 44 percent of new HIV cases were registered among women in 2006, indicating a growth of heterosexual transmission, though experts believe this growth is primarily because of transmission to sex partners of intravenous drug users. There are a growing number of secondary opportunistic diseases, such as Tuberculosis (TB),hepatitis, and kaposi sarcoma, among HIV-positive individuals, which was reflected in a forty percent growth in the amount of deaths among HIV positive individuals in 2006 compared to the previous year. Some 9,000 Russians have active TB/HIV co-infections, and a significant proportion of HIV-positive people also have hepatitis B or C. By the end of 2006, there were 41,500 HIV positive Russian prisoners out of a total population of 871,693 prisoners. Some 3,037 prisoners are currently receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) through programs supported by the Global Fund, but prison authorities estimate at least 4,800 prisoners currently need such therapy. -------------- Russians Bristle at International Criticism -------------- ¶4. (SBU) UNAIDS estimates there are over one million people living with HIV/AIDS in Russia, making up two thirds of all HIV/AIDS cases in Eastern and Central Europe. Federal AIDS Center head Pokrovskiy has stated he generally agrees with that assessment, but Chief Medical Officer Onishchenko has publicly disagreed and complained about the lack of clarity in how UNAIDS derives its estimates. Onishchenko has also bristled at suggestions from former USUN Ambassador Holbrooke (now head of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria) that Russia is losing the battle against the epidemic. Last November, Onishchenko and drug control authorities were also quick to reject a recommendation from Human Rights Watch International that Russia legalize the treatment of drug substitution therapy with methadone for heroin addicts, an issue which affects many HIV/AIDS patients (Ref A). Likewise, on MOSCOW 00000536 002.2 OF 003 February 18, some 30 protesters from United Russia's "Young Guard" movement shouted "We will not let you take methadone!" outside an international conference on Evidence-Based Substance Abuse Treatment in the Era of HIV/AIDS, which was organized by the Russian Mental Health Research Institute and Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS. -------------- Russia Expands HIV Treatment -------------- ¶5. (U) Under Russia's National Priority Health Project (Ref C), federal government spending on HIV/AIDS treatment has gone up exponentially since 2005, and now stands at over $200 million per year. The government exceeded its target of 30,000 HIV-positive people receiving ART by the end of 2007. The GOR expects to provide 40,000 patients with access to ART during 2008, and treat 52,000 with ART by 2009. These targets are for federally funded programs. In addition, more than 9,000 people living with HIV in Russia are receiving ART under Global Fund programs, according to the Russian Healthcare Foundation. Despite the federal and Global Fund programs, many more Russians need ART than are currently receiving it, and that number is expected to continue rising over the next few years. ¶6. (SBU) Most Russian experts believe that problems of stigma, lack of consistent drug supply (ART) and access to care remain critical problems for those in need of treatment. The failure of physicians to implement diagnostic and monitoring standards for out-patients at HIV centers is another reason why not everyone who needs ART is receiving this life-saving therapy. Observers also state it has been difficult for the GOR to conduct outreach to most at-risk populations, such as drug users and commercial sex workers. During the past year, however, the Health and Social Development Ministry has awarded tenders to some NGOs to conduct outreach activities among vulnerable populations, which has supplemented existing outreach programs supported by the Global Fund and USG. ¶7. (SBU) Russian adherence rates (i.e., how many people who start ART continue treatment) are on par with levels in other parts of Europe, with about ten percent of patients abandoning treatment per year. Some 2,771 patients gave up treatment for various reasons during 2007. Mikhail Rukavishnikov, head of the Society of People Living With HIV/AIDS, told us recently that adherence is one of the biggest concerns of his organization. In his view, the GOR is failing to counsel, provide social support, and to educate those on ART about the need to continue taking medicines, and many patients do not understand that they need to receive ART indefinitely. The lack of availability of quality drug rehabilitation programs also contributes to adherence problems in Russia. Government officials, however, have made positive comments about the impact of faith-based groups and other NGOS that have developed psycho-social support programs for drug addicts undergoing rehabilitation. -------------- Government Prevention Efforts Lagging -------------- ¶8. (U) Despite the massive spending on treatment and care, Russia spends comparatively little on efforts to prevent the further spread of HIV. The GOR budgeted around $8 million for prevention activities in 2007, though the number is expected to rise to over $16 million in 2008 and over $28 million in 2009. In addition, only about 25 percent of the prevention funds in 2007 are being spent on prevention activities among high-risk groups. Leading health officials such as Pokrovskiy and Onishchenko publicly acknowledge that the country needs to devote more resources to prevention, and they have pledged to seek additional funding from the government for these activities. -------------- Rising Tide of Co-Infections -------------- ¶9. (U) Observers expect that the number of AIDS-related co-infections will grow over the next few years, as the immune systems of the large number of people infected with HIV from 2000 to 2002 become compromised. Accordingly, the need for treatment and care of AIDS patients is expected to increase significantly. TB is already the leading cause of death among HIV positive people, accounting for 59 percent of all deaths among this group in 2006 (Ref B). The number of active TB/HIV co-infections has risen from 2,524 cases registered in 2002, to 9,102 cases in 2006. ¶10. (SBU) Chief Medical Officer Onishchenko has also expressed MOSCOW 00000536 003.2 OF 003 concern over the high rates of hepatitis B and C co-infections among people living with HIV/AIDS. During 2008 Rospotrebnadzor will begin supplying 32 pilot regions with lab equipment and medicines to diagnose and treat 8,500 patients suffering from Hepatitis/HIV co-infections. In a recent meeting, Onishchenko told us privately that he is concerned about the fact that treatment for co-infections is funded by regional budgets, whereas the federal government pays for HIV/AIDS treatment. He said the federal government will review that funding arrangement, and may ultimately decide to fund treatment of co-infections at the federal level as well. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (SBU) While making great strides in HIV treatment, Russia's health professionals and policy-makers still face tough challenges in conducting prevention, treatment and care activities among socially-marginalized and vulnerable populations like drugs users and commercial sex workers. The country will have to grapple with how to procure drugs at affordable prices and maintain an adequate supply of drugs to treat co-infections. It was encouraging that the GOR created a national HIV/AIDS Commission in 2006, chaired by the Health and Social Development Minister, that included both health professionals, health NGOs, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Unfortunately, the commission has only met twice, and has done little so far to develop national policies or strategies for tackling the thorny HIV/AIDS issues that lie ahead. BURNS