CHECHNYA LINKS LIBRARY

AIDS problem worsening in Chechnya

By Lecha Sadayev

CHECHNYA - AIDS has recently been spreading in Chechnya and according to Hedy Aydamirova, head doctor in the republic’s Anti-AIDS Center, there are now nearly 600 infected cases.

This figure includes women and 32 children, and their number increases each year. Back in 2003, eleven women had contracted AIDS, but since then this figure has increased seven-fold.

According to Aydamirova, only 15% of the population has been tested for AIDS so it is highly possible that the actual figure could be much higher.

She added that the AIDS problem would become even worse because blood testing was soon to be halted and thereafter the Center’s doctors would no longer be able to test patients’ blood for AIDS.

No funds are available to obtain the required testing materials. According to a source in Chechnya’s Ministry of Health, not one rouble has been transferred this year from the federal budget to the republic.

Specialists consider the situation to be close to an epidemic and feel that in order to correct it, the republic's government must accept the Anti-AIDS program and allocate the necessary funds to it.

(MG/E,A,T)

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