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

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. E10344)

Piskarev IG
NGO, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

ISSUES: The rapid spread of HIV infection in the Russian Federation has been partly attributed to transmission to and from commercial sex workers. There are 10,000 sex workers in St. Petersburg, 20% of whom are HIV infected. The high level of syphilis (30%) in this group indirectly indicates the potential risk of sexual transmission and spread of HIV. As a CSW is of the driven by low standards of living and unemployment, the general public often perceives CSW with compassion, and the worst attitude towards them can be found among medical professionals. As the result, commercial workers cannot receive professional medical services and information.

DESCRIPTION: this project have a goal to reduce the spread of new HIV/STI infections among commercial sex workers in St. Petersburg by ensuring the availability and accessibility of information, health and social services (including voluntary counseling and HIV/STI testing) as well as the required commodities for commercial workers.

LESSONS LEARNED: project presents an experience on building up institutional capacity among NGOs and local government in HIV prevention; on improved access to quality health services, information, counseling services, and education for commercial workers; created favorable political and legal environment for the empowerment of CSW. The project is a pilot as a model of covering 60% of the target group.

RECOMMENDATIONS: this project recommends that this best practice be established and applied to other Russian regions.

040711
E10344

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