Organisational Challenges to Organisational Challenges to scale up the responsescale up the response
Experience of Latvian Red Experience of Latvian Red Cross in HIV/AIDS workCross in HIV/AIDS work
Background on LRCBackground on LRCHistoryHistory– Movement since beginning of XX Movement since beginning of XX
centurycentury– Founded in 1918Founded in 1918– Soviet occupation and communism Soviet occupation and communism
regimeregime– Re-establishing of independence in Re-establishing of independence in
19911991– First peer education project on First peer education project on
HIV/AIDS in 1997 run by LRC YouthHIV/AIDS in 1997 run by LRC Youth– Permanent programme of LRCYPermanent programme of LRCY
– Concrete activities depend on Concrete activities depend on available resourcesavailable resources
HIV infections newly diagnosed, per million population, HIV infections newly diagnosed, per million population, WHO European Region, cases reported in 2001WHO European Region, cases reported in 2001
Estonia – 1067
Russia - 594
Latvia – 347
Cumulative number of HIV Cases in Different Transmission Groups July 1, 2002
2 2 2 516 18
57
99
1 2 2
50
7181
92 96
1 1 1 1 3 923
42
173
209
1 2 2 2
32
198
11
169
14 17 25 34
78 9
86
1412
86
1 16
125
311
685
13291576
0
40
80
120
160
200
240
280
320
360
400
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
heterosexual
homosexual
unknown
from mother to child
injecting drug users
Overview of activitiesOverview of activitiesWe and AIDSWe and AIDS
– 1997, training seminars for adolescents 1997, training seminars for adolescents
Indirect InterviewIndirect Interview– Several stages on 1999, 2000 and 2001Several stages on 1999, 2000 and 2001– online website on HIV education online website on HIV education
questions of website visitors to HIV+ questions of website visitors to HIV+
opinions of different recognised persons opinions of different recognised persons and experts, discussionand experts, discussion
educational information, sitcom, etc.educational information, sitcom, etc.
comics provided by comics provided by Fondation pour la Fondation pour la Vie, La Tour-de-Peilz, Vie, La Tour-de-Peilz, SwitherlandSwitherland
other AIDS organisations used this page as other AIDS organisations used this page as an example for making their onesan example for making their ones
Overview of activitiesOverview of activities
TEAM 1 TEAM 1 – 2001/20022001/2002– Supported by Italian RCSupported by Italian RC– training of trainers – LRCY peer educatorstraining of trainers – LRCY peer educators
initiating phase to restart training seminars, initiating phase to restart training seminars, information campaigns and other activities in information campaigns and other activities in LatviaLatvia
includes not only prevention but also support includes not only prevention but also support work for young PLWHA, drug userswork for young PLWHA, drug users
will be no use for this training if there will not will be no use for this training if there will not follow centralise support and further trainings follow centralise support and further trainings and activitiesand activities
Overview of activitiesOverview of activitiesWe help to help yourselvesWe help to help yourselves
– 2001/20022001/2002– Supported by Italian RCSupported by Italian RC– syringes exchange syringes exchange
co-operation project with state co-operation project with state institution AIDS Prevention institution AIDS Prevention Centre and municipality’s Centre and municipality’s institution Drug Prevention institution Drug Prevention Centre of Riga CityCentre of Riga City
supporting information spreadsupporting information spread
providing syringesproviding syringes
Overview of activitiesOverview of activities11stst December 2001 December 2001 – in Rigain Riga
Ecumenical church serviceEcumenical church serviceTorchlight processionTorchlight processionPop / Rock concert Pop / Rock concert
– Activities in other parts in Activities in other parts in Latvia organised by Red Latvia organised by Red Cross Youth activistsCross Youth activists
Red Cross Day on 11Red Cross Day on 11thth May 2002May 2002– announcement on announcement on
launching of Global launching of Global Campaign Campaign
– symbolic blind folding of symbolic blind folding of famous youth pop starfamous youth pop star
Future activitiesFuture activitiesTraining Training
for trainers, volunteers, for trainers, volunteers, Focus on peer educationFocus on peer education
Information seminars and campaigns Information seminars and campaigns for adolescentsfor adolescents
Focus on peer educationFocus on peer education
Red Cross – open and safe place Red Cross – open and safe place where young people can meet and where young people can meet and either receive support, information, training or either receive support, information, training or be volunteer and help othersbe volunteer and help others
Future activitiesFuture activitiesMiscellaneous Activities Miscellaneous Activities
toward strengthening volunteer movement and youth toward strengthening volunteer movement and youth involvement involvement
– in interesting and useful activities in interesting and useful activities – giving them opportunity to escape or stop drugs usage, giving them opportunity to escape or stop drugs usage, – Restrict criminal behaviour Restrict criminal behaviour – Help learn lifeskills and change sexual behaviourHelp learn lifeskills and change sexual behaviour
Focusing on Focusing on – Peer educationPeer education– Harm reductionHarm reduction
Promotion of Red Cross Movement and its Promotion of Red Cross Movement and its involvement in HIV/AIDS preventioninvolvement in HIV/AIDS prevention
Commonly challenges Commonly challenges confronted in the development of confronted in the development of strategies for HIV prevention among strategies for HIV prevention among injecting drug users:injecting drug users:– Legal basisLegal basis– AwarenessAwareness– The The understanding of drug useunderstanding of drug use as a as a
social phenomenonsocial phenomenon– Multisectoral approachMultisectoral approach– Local responsibilitiesLocal responsibilities– AssessmentAssessment
From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in Central and Eastern Europe and Central AsiaCentral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Legal basisLegal basis
A national strategy must build upon A national strategy must build upon legal frameworks adapted to allow a legal frameworks adapted to allow a comprehensive responsecomprehensive response
From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in Central and Eastern Europe and Central AsiaCentral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
AwarenessAwareness
A low level of awareness about the A low level of awareness about the problems of drug use and HIV/AIDS problems of drug use and HIV/AIDS among the general public, and among the general public, and inadequate knowledge about inadequate knowledge about measures of prevention, often leads measures of prevention, often leads to prejudices against drug usersto prejudices against drug users
From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in Central and Eastern Europe and Central AsiaCentral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
The The understanding of drug useunderstanding of drug use as a social phenomenon, as a social phenomenon,
and not purely a medical problem, and not purely a medical problem, must be fostered, and consensus on must be fostered, and consensus on HIV/AIDS prevention must be HIV/AIDS prevention must be reached among the general reached among the general population as well as among population as well as among professionals from various disciplinesprofessionals from various disciplines
From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in Central and Eastern Europe and Central AsiaCentral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Multisectoral approachMultisectoral approachThere must be cooperation among all There must be cooperation among all
sectors in order to prevent HIV/AIDS sectors in order to prevent HIV/AIDS infection among drug users. This infection among drug users. This major public health objective can be major public health objective can be tackled using a multidisciplinary tackled using a multidisciplinary approach, which can be a new approach, which can be a new concept for most professionals. concept for most professionals. Constructive collaboration is Constructive collaboration is particularly important between the particularly important between the health and law-enforcement sectors health and law-enforcement sectors
From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in Central and Eastern Europe and Central AsiaCentral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Local responsibilitiesLocal responsibilities
In the light of the experience of the In the light of the experience of the case studies, more responsibilities in case studies, more responsibilities in terms of decision-making powers and terms of decision-making powers and funding should be delegated and funding should be delegated and decentralized to the local leveldecentralized to the local level
From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in Central and Eastern Europe and Central AsiaCentral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
AssessmentAssessment
The extent of drug use and of The extent of drug use and of behaviour that puts a person at risk behaviour that puts a person at risk of HIV/AIDS is, in many cases, largely of HIV/AIDS is, in many cases, largely unknown. There is a need to carry unknown. There is a need to carry out research studies to assess and out research studies to assess and monitor the evolution of risk monitor the evolution of risk behaviour in order to inform national behaviour in order to inform national strategy development over timestrategy development over time
From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in Central and Eastern Europe and Central AsiaCentral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Common Challenges at the Policy levelCommon Challenges at the Policy level
Awareness raising and advocacyStrategic planning of a multisectoral responseDesign of implementation policies – that are able systematically to broaden and
diversify existing treatment and care approaches,
– including reduction of the health and social consequences of drug abuse
Situation analysis of available resources and needs assessmentSustainability of interventions
From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in Central and Eastern Europe and Central AsiaCentral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Common Challenges at the Policy levelCommon Challenges at the Policy levelIT IS VITAL in the implementation of preventive interventions TO INVOLVE of non-governmental organizations and the target populationBroad local alliances and constructive partnerships with all stakeholders must be established:– the local administration, – the police and – providers of health care from the state and non-
governmental sector, – as well as representatives of the target populations.
Also – improve services on the basis of local assessments and tailor them towards the target population
From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in From UNAIDS co-partner UNDCP research on drug use in Central and Eastern Europe and Central AsiaCentral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
RC/RC National SocietiesRC/RC National SocietiesMust be one of leading partners in Must be one of leading partners in HIV/AIDS preventionHIV/AIDS prevention– Especially in countries where it is not Especially in countries where it is not
active yetactive yet
Must take the leading role in Must take the leading role in combating stigma and discriminationcombating stigma and discrimination
Share and use experience of others Share and use experience of others in advocacy work and policy makingin advocacy work and policy making
Must use influence and power of Must use influence and power of global Movement of RC/RCglobal Movement of RC/RC