Working Visit of Russian Parliamentarians

The visit program consisted of meetings with representatives of the House of Lords and the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, and with a range of experts representing both governmental and non-governmental sectors including the UK Department of Health and Terrence Higgins Trust. Key events within the visit:

·     Meeting at the UK Department of Health with Kay Orton, Policy Lead, HIV Service and Health Promotion and Jane Mezzone, National Strategy Programme Manager, where the British colleagues gave an overview of the HIV/STI situation in the UK and provided key facts and figures defining the latest trends in the epidemic development in the UK; presented the UK Government Action since 1980s and the Sexual Health and HIV Strategy; discussed successes and challenges in developing and implementing prevention, treatment and care programs and the applicability of the UK experiences in Russia.

·     Meeting at Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) where experts provided the Russian delegation with a practical perspective of HIV/STI prevention programs implemented by THT. The photo shows the Russian delegation with Neil Gerrard MP and Nick Partridge, Chief Executive of THT.

·     Plenary meeting of the Russian delegation at the House of Commons with the UK APPG AIDS counterparts, and representatives of the international AIDS sector aimed at presenting the HIV/AIDS situation in Russia and discussion of Russian HIV/AIDS policies and strategies.

·     The visit culminated in signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Groups to collaborate in the fight against the epidemic.

KEY AREAS OF DISCUSSION:

The visit was designed to allow a comprehensive, constructive, substantive dialogue and exchange of best practices and ideas on a range of HIV/AIDS policy issues both between Russian and British policy makers. Key areas of discussion included:

·     Harm reduction in the UK and perspectives of expanding HR programs in Russia (substitution therapy and needle exchange).

Harm reduction programs developed and implemented by both state agencies and NGOs at early stages of HIV epidemic in the UK proved to be an effective means of curbing the epidemic among IDUs where the prevalence rates decreased and remain stable for last few decades.

      Local and federal level budgets and related financial strategies for prevention, treatment and care programs

      Enhancing public-private partnerships (The British model of supporting NGOs and ways to adapt that model to Russia).

      Both sides agreed that given the fast rates of the HIV epidemic in Eastern Europe and Asia and taking into account the fact that these epidemics are relatively young and still can be stopped, HIV/AIDS should be on the agenda of the upcoming G-8 Summits in 2005 (London) and in 2006 (Moscow) to enhance international collaboration in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the CIS.