UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy visits Moldova
The Special Envoy of UN Secretary-General for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Professor Lars Kallings, will visit Moldova during 22-25 October. The visit takes place as part of the commemoration of the United Nations Day and 15th anniversary of UN’s presence in Moldova.
According to UNDP Moldova, the agenda of the visit includes meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Victor Stepaniuc, Minister of Health Larisa Catrinici, Minister of Social Protection, Family and Child Galina Balmos, Minister of Education and Youth Larisa Savga and representatives of international organizations, private sector and civil society. At the meetings with Moldovan officials, Professor Lars Kallings will discuss Moldova’s achievements and future priorities of the national response to HIV/AIDS as well as what assistance the United Nations, and UNAIDS in particular, can offer to meet the Universal Access targets to Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support.
Special attention will be devoted to the efforts undertaken by the Republic of Moldova and involvement of the national stakeholders as well as functionality of the legislative and institutional framework in response to HIV/AIDS.
Achieving the goal of reducing the HIV/AIDS incidence by 2015 remains a serious challenge for Moldova. According to the official national records, in the first six months of 2008 there were 371 new cases of HIV infection in Moldova, while 4,502 cases have been officially registered since 1987 until beginning of 2008.
72% of new HIV cases were attributed to sexual transmission with the rapid increase in heterosexual transmission of HIV raising concerns that the epidemic is “bridging” into the general population. The most affected layer of population represents people aged between 20-34 years old. The number of HIV infected women increased from 27 % in 2001 to 45 % in the first semester of 2008, which creates prerequisites for HIV infection of newborn babies.
The UN Agencies in Moldova, in particular UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNDP are supporting Government’s efforts in scaling up HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and will continue to provide technical support to strengthen the capacity of the Government, employers, trade unions, and civil society organizations in the national response to AIDS. REPORTER.MD
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