| The views expressed in this article
are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the
UK Department for International Development (DFID) or the UK Government.
This article argues that for a number
of reasons, the Russian state has had limited success in tackling the growing
problem of HIV/AIDS. It begins with brief discussions of the health context
of HIV/AIDS in the Russian Federation and the development of institutions
in Russia post-1991. It then discusses the attempts that have been made
thus far to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic, both on the part of the federal
government and with the aid of international donor funding. It is argued
that a number of factors have contributed to Russia's lack of success in
tackling HIV/AIDS. Firstly, the infection has been interpreted as a health
problem rather than as a phenomenon which impacts on all aspects of public
life. Secondly, there have been weak incentives at the federal level, which
has resulted in a lack of a coordinated approach to HIV/AIDS at the national
level. Thirdly, there have been regional variations in the autonomy and
independence from the federal state impacting on the struggle against HIV
in the Russian regions. Evidence from research undertaken by DFID
is drawn upon to illustrate these variations in tackling HIV/AIDS. |