15th International AIDS Conference Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. E10089)

Sluzhynska OB, Sluzhynska MB, Vasylyev MA, Vasylyev AA
Charitable SALUS Foundation, Lviv, Ukraine

BACKGROUND: Experts believe that HIV is spreading faster in Ukraine than in any other country of Europe. Poverty, ignorance, unemployment and sharp reductions in preventive care services have created good background for this. Official numbers show about 60.000 cases of HIV in the country, but the Health Ministry admits that the figure could be 10 times higher.

METHODS: The SALUS Foundation has been established to meet the needs of the Western Ukraine population (close to 10 millions people) in the field of HIV/AIDS and STIs prevention. One of the last effective programmes of the SALUS Foundation is the ANTIAIDS FASHION SHOW. It is developed since 1997 by means of developing of different kinds of art competition dedicated to HIV/AIDS prevention. The Program is the first one in Ukraine connecting art and AIDS prevention and explaining people the symbol of the RED RIBBON. More than 440 designers from all the Ukraine and from abroad took part in the competitions during the period of 1997-2003. The WAD celebration 2003 has received support from the CCFD, PAUCI program and AIDS Elton John Foundation. The SALUS Foundation staff has been awarded by special diplomas with the thanks from the Regional Health Care Department and Regional Education Department.

RESULTS: As we have learned from our previous experience, the Ukrainian youth is strongly supportive in the developing of the artistic events dedicated to HIV/AIDS prevention. The program improves knowledge about AIDS prevention and makes the problem of AIDS more visble.

CONCLUSIONS: Because of high effectiveness of the ART antiAIDS programme in the Ukraine, we are encouraged to continue our work in this field. In future we are going to develop graphite competition, body-art presentation, the photos and computer graphics competition and to involve more artists into it. To implement these ideas we are looking for possible partners in the countries, where the same programs have been developed.

040711
E10089

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