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Could Catch HIV Norway Castrated Gays IGLHRC Concerned about United Nation's Project |
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By Rex Wockner International News Report Official: Half of All Russians Could Catch HIV
At current infection rates, half of the population of Russia will be
HIV-positive in 10 years, the head of the National Center for the Fight
Against AIDS said January 9
"If this rate of infection continues, more than a million people will have the HIV virus by the end of the year, and half of the Russian population will be infected within the next 10 years," Vadim Pokrovsky said in an interview on Echo Radio. Russia' s population is 145 million. At least half a million people are infected now, Pokrovsky said. Pokrovsky needs $70 million a year to effectively fight the spread of the virus, he said, but the government has given him only $3 million this year.
IGLHRC Concerned about United Nation's Project The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission is concerned about the United Nations General Assembly's Special Session on AIDS scheduled for June 25-27. "The General Assembly has already urged 'civil society' to participate in the special session," the group said. "However, their documents define civil society to include not only people living with HIV/AIDS, people affected by the epidemic, grassroots groups, and non-governmental organizations -- but also 'the business sector, including pharmaceutical companies.' "This is an unprecedented and dangerous redefinition of 'civil society' -- a term which has traditionally encompassed voluntary and not-for-profit organizations, but not the corporate sector," IGLHRC said. "Do the rich and resourced share an equal playing field with the poor and sick in 'civil society'? Will the special session give voice to the communities most harmed by the epidemic and most engaged in real response? Or will it be a giant cocktail party for the drug industry?" IGLHRC's efforts in relation to the special session are being coordinated by Karyn Kaplan: karyn@iglhrc.org; (212) 216-1256. |
