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Home page  About CSIS Programs Russia and Eurasia Program HIV/AIDS
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HIV/AIDS
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Until the mid-1990s, Russia and Eurasia had relatively few cases of HIV. Today, however, these states are experiencing the highest rate of growth of HIV in the world. A report published by the Russia and Eurasia program for CSIS's HIV/AIDS task force highlighted the devastating consequences if this pandemic if it is left unchecked. Effective public policy can make a difference; ineffective public policy could result in a political, economic, and security disaster for the states and populations of Russia and Eurasia. Optimistic figures for Russia in 2020 by the World Bank estimated 21,000 Russians a month dying of the disease, with a total HIV-infected population of 5.4 million. Less optimistic projections estimate that, without preventative measures being undertaken, Russia will have over 14 million HIV cases by 2020 - more than 10% of the total population of the country. In Russia and Eurasia, the original explosion of infections was tied to drug abuse and intravenous drug injections; now the epidemic is poised to expand into the population at large in alarming numbers.
The Russia and Eurasia Program is expanding its work on the problem of HIV/AIDS in Russia. In conjunction with the CSIS HIV/AIDS task force, the REP published a widely read report on the HIV/AIDS situation in Russia, and is looking ahead to update the report and begin an ambitious new project addressing the issue. With funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and in partnership with the CSIS Africa Program, South Asia Program, and China Program, the Russia and Eurasia Program is participating in an examination of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the second wave countries. A course of surveys and assessments, strong cooperation with Russia-based NGOs, and a working group have been undertaken to raise awareness of the problem in the policy making circles of Russia. Current public policy will make or break Russia in the future; the government's response to HIV/AIDS is certainly no exception. It is infinitely cheaper to enact preventative measures now than to deal with the crushing social and economic costs of enormous numbers of AIDS-related illnesses and of AIDS deaths.
The activity of the Russia and Eurasia Program has been enacted in several phases, with each yielding an assessment and comprehensive report. These are available below in English and Russian versions. The first phase of the project dealt with an assessment of the magnitude of the problem. The second full report was the product of a joint task force, and offers recommendations for public policy in dealing with HIV/AIDS in Russia. More on HIV/AIDS in Russia can be found at Health, Human Rights, and HIV/AIDS.
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Contact Information
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Research Associate, Russia and Eurasia Program |
Jessica Scholes
Send E-mail
202-775-3259
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| Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1800 K Street, NW, Washington DC, 20006 | Tel: 202-887-0200 | Fax: 202-775-3199 |
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