AIDS Epidemic in the Russian Federation and Policy Reform

The AIDS epidemic in the Russian Federation has been a constant struggle for the government and the population since the early 90’s. The epidemic is the most rapidly growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS seen in history and has caused much international attention. The epidemic coinciding with the fall of the Soviet Union and the transition of the Russian government from socialist to democratic state has had a huge impact on the policy and government actions to fight the epidemic. The financial struggles that hit a large portion of the population as a result of the fall of the Soviet Union caused a large shift in the mentality of society and their perceived outlets for continued existence and familial support. Much of the stigma attached to the HIV/AIDS population has yet to dissuade after nearly twenty years since the beginning of the epidemic. With the further liberal progression of the Russian government and aid from international organizations such as the WHO, more policies and health care reforms are being implemented that are directly aiding the HIV/AIDS populations and slowly diminishing the stigmas attached to them.