May 6, 2008

UNAIDS Urges Russia to Tackle IV-Drug Use

At a Moscow AIDS conference on May 3, UNAIDS chief Peter Piot said Russia should build on its progress combating HIV/AIDS by offering more help for injection-drug users in the country, Reuters reports (reuters.com, 5/3).

The article notes that the economic downturn following the Soviet Union’s 1991 collapse claimed millions of jobs, turning many people toward drug use. Yet Russia has resisted funding methadone-substitution clinics and needle exchanges.

“If you don’t supply clean needles, if you don’t supply methadone, you can’t control the epidemic,” Piot said.

NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.

Name:	(2-50 characters)
Email:	(will not show)
City:	(optional)

Comment (500 characters left):

(Note: The POZ team review all comments before they are posted. Please do not include either ":" or "@" in your comment.)

| Posting Rules

Previous Comments: