Traditional religious communities in Russia and scientists present new HIV prevention program for teenagers

A values-based program for HIV prevention among teenagers ‘Ladya’ was presented at a press conference that took place on December 1, 2008, at the RIA Novosti press center.

In the situation when HIV-infection is rapidly spreading in Russia, the problem of its prevention among youth becomes especially acute, as 80 per cent of all the HIV-positive are young people from 15 to 30 years of age.

Elaborated jointly by the Russian Orthodox Church and secular specialists, the program has as its task to help prevent HIV infection and risk behaviors leading to it. It is different conceptually from the popular information-education approach, which does not look for the fundamental reason of risk behaviors leading to infection with socially dangerous diseases. It is original and new in that it is aimed at inculcating in teenagers a system of spiritual and moral guidelines that, if observed in behavior, would reduce the risk of infection to a minimum.

The presentation of the program was planned to coincide with the World AIDS Day marked annually on December 1.

The press conference was given by

– Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, vice-chairman, Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church relations

– Alexander Goliusov, HIV/AIDS monitoring department, Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection

– Prof. Natalia Sirota, M.D., director for prevention research, National Narcological Research Center

– Albir Kyrganov, Mufti of Chuvashia, deputy of the Supreme Mufti of the Central Muslim Board

– Rabbi Zinoviy Kogan, president of the Congress of Jewish Religious Communities and Associations

– Vladimir Samoilov, Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists in Russia, member of the Interconfessional HIV/AIDS Coordinating Committee.