Russland. When values kill. How the Russian Ministry of Health triggered an HIV epidemic
Russland. When values kill. How the Russian Ministry of Health triggered an HIV epidemic
Russia ranks first in Europe for new HIV infections, according to recent UN data, with four out of every 10,000 people diagnosed with HIV infection annually. In 2021, 1.5 million new cases were recorded worldwide, of which 3.9% were in Russia, with a higher share only in Mozambique, Nigeria, and India. Over 1 million Russians are currently carrying the disease. This is the outcome of the failed policy pursued by the Russian government, which purchased useless tests instead of drugs, promoted conservative family values instead of safe sex, stigmatized same-sex intercourse, and banned substitution therapy instead of handing out syringes and condoms. Meanwhile, the organizations responsible for the “appropriate” propaganda continue to make good money. (The Insider, Europa, 05.01.2023)