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10.07.2013 “Woman and HIV” International Theory and Practice Conference
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On May 29-31, 2013 there was an international theory and practice conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, called “HIV-positive Women and Children: upgrading methods of HIV-prevention, diagnosis and treatment”. The conference was run by the Ministry of Public Health of the Russian Federation.
The main theme of the conference is extremely topical. It is clear that a sound population policy should be oriented on protection and support to families, women and children. Due to various general and personal reasons, women and children represent the most vulnerable groups. They are very sensitive to adverse effects of political, economical and social instability, and to any problems in the system of public health. It is especially true for HIV-related issues.
Michel Sidibé, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS in his greeting message to the conference participants highlighted the worldwide concern about the growing number of new cases of HIV among young women. He noted that every minute one woman under 25 years old gets infected with HIV. Michel Sidibé reminded about the joint responsibility of the world community to respond to HIV epidemics by insisting on the necessary changes into the current legislation, policy and programs, and about the overall target of zero new cases of HIV among children and preserving the lives of their mothers. More than 700 delegates participated in the conference.
It was attended by heads and leading specialists of major health institutions providing HIV-related services to HIV-positive women and children in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Latvia, by pharmacologists, medical scientists, and representatives of HIV-related NGOs and of PLHIV communities.
The conference brought together heads and representatives of the regional and local branches of the Russian Red Cross (the Tula, Irkutsk, Sochi and Belorechensk of the Krasnodar region branches).
The participants had a wonderful opportunity to share experience, to learn about the latest achievements in HIV prevention and treatment, to study the findings and conclusions of the research works and analytical notes, dedicated to building a more effective system of HIV prevention and to brining forward the quality of care and support services to women and children living with HIV.
The achievements of the Russian Red Cross in providing care and support to people living with HIV were presented by the head of the Technical Support Group of the RRC Resource Center on the third day of the conference at the working session devoted to sharing experience, ideas and information about improving the quality of services provided to HIV-positive women and their families.
The participants have shown great interest in the presentation “NGOperspectives on Woman and HIV: problems and solutions. Experience of the Irkutsk Regional Branch of the Russian Red Cross in providing care and support to people living with HIV”. The presentation covered the actions taken by the Russian Red Cross in HIV prevention. It also contained observations of the RRC specialists working in HIV-related projects. The observations concerning changes in the social portrait of the project clients over the 10 years inspired a lively discussion among the conference participants.
They participants were impressed by the volume of work accomplished by the Russian Red Cross in the area of HIV prevention and palliative care. They have expressed a request for this experience to be described and distributed for replication among the HIV-service NGOs and state institutions.
The working session concluded with adopting a resolution highlighting the importance of joining efforts in order to reach the best possible result.
Keynotes and slides of the presentation “NGO perspectives on Woman and HIV: problems and solutions. Experience of the Irkutsk Regional Branch of the Russian Red Cross in providing care and support to people living with HIV” are available at the website of the Irkutsk Branch of the Russian Red Cross.
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