AEGiS-14IAC: We want to live with equal rights - a project focusing the society attention on the preblems of HIV(+) in Bulgaria.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

We want to live with equal rights - a project focusing the society attention on the preblems of HIV(+) in Bulgaria.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. G12515)

Lazarova K, Georgiev B, Markova D
Health and Morality Association, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

ISSUES: Bulgaria is still a low HIV-prevalent country - a fact raising the chances of all HIV-preventive strategies. The main issue comes from the "invisibility" of HIV/AIDS thus leading to lack of knowledge of the problems of HIV(+)s such as treatment/health care, different forms of discrimination, social isolation, etc. The social isolation of HIV(+)s is also due to insufficient sharing and unclear formulation of our problems. This is the reason we created a coalition of 3 NGOs with 50 members to identify our constraints and to formulate the basic activities of the project.

DESCRIPTION: The aim of the project is to form a professional lobby (doctors, legislators, psychologists, etc.) for problems solution and society commitment and together with NGO members to change it positively. The project was financed by Open Society - Sofia. A National Conference of HIV(+)s to clarify and prioritize our problems was organized. Actual scientific information was reported by invited specialists. Leaflets for the HIV(+)s on antiviral treatment, adherence to therapy and opportunistic infections are in preparation. A special book "How difficult it is to live with HIV in Bulgaria" is planned to be written by HIV(+) volunteers.

ISSUES: 1. The low HIV-prevalent countries have specific problems due to invisibility of HIV/AIDS; 2. To solve all kinds of problems our strong voice is especially needed; 3. The institutions and the society pay attention to facts-based phenomena like the role of General Practitioners (GPs) in diagnostic/treatment/preventive HIV/AIDS activities, centralization of antiviral therapy in the capital followed by irregular monitoring, unclear criteria for access to therapy, etc.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Our experience shows that the more professional are involved in problems solution of HIV(+), faster and better they would be solved

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV Infections, Human Rights, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Seropositivity, Research, Bulgaria, organization & administration

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