AIDS Foundation East West

As of 1 January 2009, 4 996 individuals were registered as living with HIV in the Republic of Moldova, although experts in the region estimate that up to 15 000 individuals may already be HIV positive in the country. Increasingly, HIV is transmitted through unsafe heterosexual contact in Moldova. Ensuring that individuals (particularly young people, who are disproportionately affected) have accurate and complete information on how best to prevent HIV is key to halting the spread of the virus.

With this in mind, AFEW is currently carrying out activities in Moldova through its project Scaling Up Access to Prevention, Treatment and Care under the National Programme for the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS/STIs. Activities centre on a mass media campaign, which promotes the messages of HIV prevention and solidarity with people living with HIV as part of a wider national prevention strategy. By ensuring that individuals have the information they need to make informed choices about their behaviour, AFEW is working proactively to reduce the impact of HIV in Moldova.

As a part of this project, AFEW will conduct a series of nation-wide radio and television programmes aimed at promoting a sense of solidarity with people living with HIV to decrease stigma and discrimination directed at them, as well as increasing knowledge among young people aged 15 to 24 regarding the prevention of HIV, testing for HIV and treatment for those already infected.

AFEW’s activities will specifically focus on the following:

• Organising and hosting a series of public events to coincide with AIDS Memorial Day (18 May) and World AIDS Day (1 December) calling for unified efforts in response to the epidemic. These events will also include HIV prevention and information materials on health promotion;
• A series of public debates will be organised aimed at promoting open discussions on the most effective and efficient means of responding to HIV across the nation. These debates will focus on the routes of transmission, HIV testing and treatment, who is at risk, and stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV;
• Training seminars for 50 journalists from across the country will focus on increasing their capacity to produce good quality news items on HIV-related topics;
• Members of the Orthodox Church will be included in activities in order to strengthen faith-based initiatives in the response to HIV in Moldova.

By increasing knowledge regarding how HIV is transmitted, misconceptions regarding HIV and those who are already affected, the project hopes to contribute to halting the spread of HIV in Moldova. Furthermore, by involving the Orthodox Church in activities and other faith-based initiatives and organisations, support services will be increased and their reach will broaden to include a larger segment of the population.

Thus far, the project has yielded the following results:

• In 2008, three TV talk shows were broadcast on HIV prevention. The well-known Moldovan journalist Vladimir Pozner hosted the first show, while stars from Russia took part in the second show and discussed how HIV-related issues can be promoted to the wider public. The third programme focused on issues affecting HIV-positive women in Russia, Ukraine and Moldova.
• The Dance4life project has been expanded into Moldova. .Two Dance4life tour teams regularly conduct Heart Connection Tours to schools. A Dance4life event is now held annually which connects over 50 000 young people in 19 countries via satellite link. About 1 500 young people from Moldova attended this year’s event and made the declaration of their commitment to work actively to stop the spread of HIV.
• The project has clocked up more than 9 public events across Moldova in its first year, including memorials for people who have died of AIDS and contests for young people to test their knowledge of HIV. Other activities included an auto rally and concert with famous Russian stars, who promoted HIV prevention messages.
• In December 2008, an award ceremony for recognition of the best journalism on HIV-relates issues was initiated;
• In 2008, AFEW’s Moldova office received the accolade of Best International Organisation in the country due to these project activities.
• Finally, a youth-oriented educational documentary on HIV was produced and distributed among schools, NGO’s and at medical facilities.