Press Relases

Ms. Lisa Carty Applauds the Work of Russian Red Cross Visiting Nurses in the Fight Against the HIV Epidemic in Irkutsk

September 12, 2006

September 12, 2006 Irkutsk — Ms. Lisa Carty, wife of the American Ambassador to the Russian Federation William Burns, visited the Irkutsk branch of the Russian Red Cross and met with visiting nurses who provide counseling, psychological support and home-based care for people living with HIV/AIDS in Irkutsk. Ms. Carty praised the staff for their work to fight HIV/AIDS in the region saying that "The high HIV/AIDS prevalence in this region poses unique challenges and I commend you for your part in improving the lives of people infected with HIV. All of us — whether we are medical professionals, teachers, young people, parents, journalists or government officials — need to be doing more to help fight AIDS in our communities. Your work will certainly inspire others to become more involved."

In 2003, the Irkutsk Branch of the Russian Red Cross, with technical and financial support from the American Red Cross and a U.S.-based private foundation, launched a three-year "Care and Support Project for People Living with HIV/AIDS." Over the past three years, the Care & Support Project has developed a model program for the care and support of people affected by the disease, including HIV-positive women (and the children born to them) that has since been replicated by other branches of the Russian Red Cross across the country.

A key factor in the success of the Russian Red Cross in Irkutsk's program to fight HIV/AIDS has been its close partnership with regional and local governmental authorities, including the Federal AIDS Center and the Ministry of Health. As a result, there has been a great deal of interest and support from both local government sources and private donors to sustain and expand HIV programming among vulnerable populations affected by the epidemic. Over the past three years, The Russian Red Cross Irkutsk branch has won competitive grants from the U.S. Government and UNICEF, among others, to support various activities aimed at improving the lives of people affected by HIV. More recently in March of 2006, The Irkutsk branch of the Russian Red Cross was awarded a competitive grant through Pact's Community Rapid and Effective Response for HIV/AIDS program, under a cooperative agreement with USAID. Ms. Carty commended community officials in Irkutsk for their part in improving the lives of HIV-positive individuals, providing support to their families, and helping make the broader community aware of what it can do to help fight HIV/AIDS.