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To President Putin and the government of the Russian Federation
- Prioritize HIV/AIDS in public policy. HIV/AIDS must have a
visibly higher priority among top government officials, starting with the
president. Only with public recognition of the problem can Russia hope to lessen the stigma of the disease. The president and other top officials can help reduce the stigma of HIV/AIDS by addressing the problem publicly, visiting AIDS
centers, and increasing funding for public awareness
campaigns to educate the public about HIV/AIDS.
- Designate an inter-ministry HIV/AIDS committee to meet
regularly and coordinate efforts to ensure Russias HIV-positive population
has access to the health care, education and job security to which it is
entitled under the Federal Law on Prevention of
Dissemination in the Russian Federation of the Disease Caused by the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus.
- Designate an official body to investigate complaints about
violations of the 1995 AIDS law. These would include cases of orphanages
refusing to accept HIV-positive children, kindergartens refusing to
register children of HIV-positive parents, and HIV-positive patients being
refused medical treatment on the basis of their viral status.
To the Russian Ministry of Health
- Immediately end the widespread practice of segregating
babies abandoned by HIV-positive mothers. Babies who require no special
medical attention should be transferred to an orphanage within the first
days of their lives. Ensure that the level of care these babies are to
receive in regular orphanages is equal to that currently provided by
specialized orphanages.
- Step up training programs for medical
personnel and child care workers in day care centers and orphanages on
HIV/AIDS and its transmission, including prevention of
mother-to-child-transmission. Health officials need to ensure that
HIV-positive women have access to responsive medical care and accurate
information about the available means of preventing transmission to their
child.
- Establish clear policies and guidelines for city and
provincial orphanages to handle the growing number of HIV-positive
children.
To the Russian Ministry of Education and Science5
- Set up a task force to deal with the issue of educating
HIV-positive children and establish clear guidelines against
discriminatory behavior in kindergartens and schools. Abolish the
discriminatory practice of barring HIV-positive children and adults from entering
kindergartens, schools, technical schools and universities.
To the Local Municipalities
- End the propiska/registration restriction that limits an
HIV-positive womans access to prenatal and anti-retroviral medications. End
the propiska system for HIV-positive children, for whom a transfer to
another facility would be in the best interests of their health and
development.
To UNAIDS
- Work with the government of the Russian Federation to improve public education and information about HIV/AIDS prevention,
care and treatment, including measures to prevent mother-to-child HIV
transmission. Provide technical and financial assistance to train health
workers about appropriate antenatal care for pregnant women living with
HIV, and to train health workers and orphanage staff on working with
children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
To UNICEF
- Assist the Ministry of Education to develop policies and
guidelines for the care and protection of the children of HIV-positive
mothers within the school system.
[5] In 2004
the Russian Ministry of Education was reorganized and renamed the Ministry of
Education and Science. In this report it is referred to as the Ministry of
Education or the education ministry.
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