Editorial

Russia's spiralling HIV, health problems highlighted in UN report

MOSCOW (AFP) - Almost one in 150 people in Russia lives with HIV/ AIDS and tuberculosis and other health problems are spiralling.

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"HIV infection in the Russian Federation has acquired an epidemic character," the United Nations Development Agency said Monday.

According to a UNDA statement, 860,000 people live with HIV/AIDS in Russia, which has a population of about 148 million.

Russia is also "one of 22 countries with high tuberculosis and with the highest TB mortality rate in Europe," the report, entitled "Russia in 2015: Development Goals and Policy Priorities," said.

Changing men's lifestyle habits that include excess alcohol consumption, drug addiction and smoking is key to solving the country's problems, the report said.

"Stereotypes of men's behaviour in Russia include excess alcohol consumption, drug addiction and smoking as stress reduction measures and ways of demonstrating manhood. Growth of suicides among men is an extreme form of reaction to growing socio-economic pressure and inability to perform the traditional role of breadwinner," the statement said.

The report also calls for a change in attitude to immigration, saying that Russia would need to accept more immigrants in order to maintain current economic growth rates.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051017/hl_afp/russiahealtheconomy_051017165531