The Help Needs Foundation has published data from the To Be Precise project on HIV patients in Russia for 2019.
The most disadvantaged Russian regions, according to the rating, are Irkutsk, Kemerovo, Leningrad, Orenburg regions and the Republic of Crimea.
In the Irkutsk region in 2019, 51,033 people living with HIV were recorded, in the Kemerovo region – 54 390, in the Leningrad region – 25 114, the Orenburg region – 29 803, in the Crimea – 21 836.
At the same time, Irkutsk and Kemerovo regions are in the rating of disadvantaged regions for the sixth year in a row. The Leningrad Region has been included in this list five times since 2014, the Orenburg Region – three.
The most prosperous are named Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kirov, Lipetsk, Pskov, Sakhalin, Tambov regions, the Republic of Ingushetia, Kalmykia, Tatarstan, Chuvashia and the Trans-Baikal Territory.
At the end of 2019, 59.9% of people living with HIV were registered with dispensaries – such patients are under the attention of doctors, undergo the necessary tests and can receive therapy. About 74% of all registered patients received therapy in 2019. If we count the total number of people living with HIV in Russia, this is 44%.
According to official data, in 2019, 1,068,839 people were registered in Russia living with HIV. As of September 30, 2020, their number has grown to 1,097,182.
Russia is one of the five countries in the world with the fastest spread of HIV and ranks first in Europe.
In December 2020, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin approved the state strategy to counter the spread of HIV infection in the Russian Federation, which will operate until 2030.
According to the strategy, within 10 years it is planned to reduce the annual increase in the incidence of HIV from 76 thousand people in 2020 to 45 thousand in 2030. Also, by 2030, the number of people taking antiretroviral therapy should increase from 72% to 95%, while the cost of therapy should gradually decrease.
In Russia, over the next 10 years, it is planned to completely eliminate discrimination against people with HIV, with an emphasis on increasing knowledge about this infection.