Limited funds to fight HIV in Russia

Recent data suggests that more than 854,000 people living in Russia today have been diagnosed with HIV and only 261,000 of them are receiving antiretroviral treatment.

Despite these facts, the Russian Health Ministry has decided against allocating additional funding to the fight against HIV infection.

According to RBC, Russian news agency, a new four-year plan submitted to the government does not include an additional 70 billion rubles ($1.2 billion) for steps to stop the spread of the virus in the country.

This money would help to provide ARVT for all patients registered with Russia’s AIDS centers by 2020, and increase the share of the population being tested for HIV to 35 percent. In 2015, only 19.3 percent of Russia’s population was being tested for HIV, and just a third of Russians infected with HIV were receiving drug therapy for the condition.

First Deputy Finance Minister of Russia stated that allocation of additional money to fight against HIV would have to wait due to a lack of resources and funds.