Incorporation of a Programme to Prevent HIV/AIDS and other Socially Significant Diseases into the Professional Training of Penal System Staff
Russia

PROJECT DURATION:  September 2003 – September 2006

DONOR:  SIDA – the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (www.side.se)

PARTNERS:  The Russian Ministry of Justice  (www.scli.ru/index.asp, www.minjust.ru/index.html, www.guin-uis.ru); the Russian Ministry of Health (www.minzdrav-rf.ru; www.depart.drugreg.ru)

REGION:  Moscow

BACKGROUND:

Currently, Russia is experiencing one of the worst HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world. The number of registered HIV cases increased from 1071 at the end of 1995 to 299 226 as of 1 November 2004, which is 206 per 100 000 population. The majority of cases have occurred among injecting drug users; however, the number of cases attributed to sexual transmission is increasing.

Since most experts, including the World Health Organisation and the Russian government, assume that the actual number of cases is 3.5 to 4.5 times the official figure, many researchers now believe there may be more than 1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in Russia. Recent figures from the Russian Federal AIDS Centre predict that the figure will rise to 5 million by the end of 2005.

As of 1 August 2004, the Russian prison system held 787 900 prisoners, giving Russia one of the highest rates of incarceration in the world. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, Russia’s prisons hold more than 35 000 people living with HIV/AIDS. As a study carried out between 1999 and 2003 as part of the HIV Prevention and Health Promotion in Prisons Project showed, the majority of inmates (both those with HIV and those without) have little or no knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS. However, many general and medical prison staff demonstrate a desire to improve their knowledge and skills on HIV/AIDS-related issues.

Results of work carried out jointly by AFEW and the Main Prison Administration of the Ministry of Justice show that there are real possibilities for the effective implementation of an HIV-prevention programme in the Russian penal system. However, at present there is not a reliable mechanism with which to introduce measures into the already-existing training apparatus for staff working in the penal system. The Ministry of Justice has a well-developed staff training infrastructure, however there is a clear lack of knowledge concerning HIV-prevention measures. The lack of knowledge and information, both among inmates as well as among staff, often leads to an increased risk of HIV and other diseases in the Russian penal system.

See also:  HIV/AIDS Statistics in Russia

OVERALL OBJECTIVE:

To promote HIV/AIDS prevention and healthcare in the Russian penal system.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

The formulation of courses on the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other infections among inmates and staff of the penal system, and their implementation into the programmes of the educational departments of all levels of professional education, and also into the training apparatus for prison staff.

KEY TASKS:

• To develop a basic teaching programme: ‘Prevention of HIV/AIDS and other infections’, with the aim of organising a teaching process, and to provide technical aid to the educational facilities of the Russian Ministry of Justice.

• To formulate and distribute informational materials for the project’s target groups.

• To work with the regional and municipal organisations that are taking part in the project, and to exchange information on techniques and their subsequent implementation, together with the Main Prison Administration, concerning preventative measures in places of detention.

• To provide humanitarian support in accordance with the programme for the ‘Incorporation of a Programme Promoting Preventative Measures against HIV/AIDS and other Socially Significant Illnesses into the Professional Training of penal system Staff’.

TARGET AUDIENCE(S):

• Medical personnel in correctional facilities

• Psychologists in correctional facilities

• Staff of the educational departments and departments working with inmates

• Staff of the security services and control departments

• Inmates

(EXPECTED) RESULTS:

1. At the end of the project, the Ministry of Justice, in close co-operation with AFEW, will incorporate an HIV-prevention programme into the existing official educational procedures for medical and non-medical prison personnel, psychologists, prison counsellors and inmates.  As part of the project, teaching programmes have been developed for seven of the trainee categories.

• Initial professional education for staff entering the penal system at junior and managerial levels.

• Retraining and increasing the qualifications of junior and managerial elements of the penal system.

• Further professional education of doctors in charge of the medical service of Russia’s penal system.

• Further professional education of the psychiatric service of Russia’s penal system.

• Higher professional education of psychologists of the psychological service of Russia’s penal system (students of the psychological faculties of the higher educational institutes of the Russian Ministry of Justice).

• The further professional education of psychologists of the psychological service of Russia’s penal system.

2. The creation, preparation and distribution of printed materials in accordance with the project’s theme.

• Basic programme;

• Programme for initial professional education, retraining and increasing qualifications: teaching manuals, courses of lectures;

• Programme for increasing the qualifications of medical personnel: teaching manuals, courses of lectures;

• Programme for increasing the qualifications of psychiatric personnel: teaching manuals, courses of lectures;

• Programme for psychologists: teaching manuals, courses of lectures;

• Programme for penal system middle general education institutes: teaching manuals, courses of lectures.

3. Provide office equipment and supplies, condoms, disinfectant and preventative materials to facilities of the Main Prison Administration of the Russian Ministry of Justice.

4. Distribution of preventative informative materials prepared earlier as part of the ’HIV Prevention and Health Promotion in the Russian Penal System’ project.

(EXPECTED) MATERIALS PRODUCTION:

• All the project’s printed materials, in CD format

• 'Health Promotion in the Russian Prison System: New Approaches' – documentary film

• 'HIV in Prison: A Manual with Particular Relevance for the Newly Independent States' – book

• ‘Hepatitis’ – poster  

• ‘Tuberculosis’ – poster

• ‘HIV Infection’ – leaflet

• 'Basic Articles on Health Promotion Issues in the Penal System', Reader No. 1

• 'Basic Articles on Health Promotion Issues in the Penal System', Reader No. 2 'Basic Articles on Health Promotion Issues in the Penal System', Reader No. 3 'Basic Articles on Health Promotion Issues in the Penal System', Reader No. 4

• 'Reader for Decision Makers'

• 'Living with HIV in Prison' – brochure

• 'Sexually Transmitted Infections' – brochure

• 'Instruction Sheet on HIV Counselling'

• 'I am the same as you'  male – flyer  'I am the same as you' female – flyer  

• HIV Calendars for 2003

• ‘Protect Yourself’ male – brochure

• ‘Protect Yourself’ female – brochure

• 'Rate Your Risk' brochure, translated and adapted from the EU booklet for security

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Elena Teneta
Project Manager, Penal System Project
AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW)
E-mail: elena_teneta@AFEW.org

Marina Pryanichnikova
Assistant to the Project Manager, Penal System Project
AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW)
E-mail: marina_pryanichnikova@AFEW.org

Office Address:
V. Krasnoselskaya St. 32/3, 2nd floor
Moscow 107140, Russia
Tel: +7 495 7392695
Fax: +7 495 7392695
Website: http://www.afew.org

International Postal Address:
AFEW
P. O. Box 7575
21070 AT Amsterdam
The Netherlands