In the mid-to-late 1990s, most of Moldova’s health indicators were poor and many had deteriorated over the decade. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS increased by more than 25 times, along with the incidence of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and tuberculosis (TB). The number of intravenous drug users (IDU), another pathway to infection, also grew at an alarming rate. Taken together, the increase in HIV/AIDS rates threatened to undermine the economic and social status of affected people and posed a risk to achieving long-term economic sustainability, growth and social well-being in Moldova.
In 2003, the Moldova AIDS Control Project was launched to support implementation of National Program for Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS and STIs. The project aims to improve Moldova’s health status and assist the country to achieve its health-related Millennium Development Goals by reducing mortality, morbidity and transmission of HIV/AIDS, other STIs and TB. A total of US$5.8 million was allocated to scale up HIV/AIDS/STIs prevention programs targeted at vulnerable groups, strengthened treatment, care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS, enhancement of Moldova’s institutional capacity to respond to HIV/AIDS, STIs and TB in a multi-sectoral approach. This program is a key piece of the Government’s poverty reduction strategy in the health sector, as it prevents large groups from falling into poverty due to disabling diseases, and provides the basis to achieving long-running economic sustainability, growth and social well-being. The IDA credit closes in July 2008.
"Drug-users, HIV-infected people, women, and HIV-discordant couples receive special support from specialists who provide services based on principles of confidentiality and anonymity."
—Ala Iatco, Deputy Chairman, NGO "Youth for the Right to Live," City of Balti
"During these years we covered approximately 12 thousand drug users with harm reduction programs, and in the past two years the number of new HIV/AIDS cases started to decrease within this group."
—Victor Burinschi, Project Coordinator, Project Coordination Unit
All pregnant women get screening for HIV. Since the project started, a total of 301 pregnant women were identified with HIV. The 242 women who decided to deliver were offered preventative anti-retroviral therapy and free milk formula for replacement feeding. As a result, vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child fell from 20 to 1.7 percent.
Nationally, staff involved in prevention of Mother to Child Transmission were trained.
603 people living with HIV/AIDS are receiving anti-retroviral treatment.
The percentage of IDUs among new cases of HIV infection fell from 55 percent of all infected in 2003 to 38 percebt in 2006. The Project covers harm-reduction activities for 11,938 IDUs.
All 17 prisons now have HIV/AIDS/STI prevention activities. Six prisons introduced harm-reduction services, including needle exchange programs.
Youth-friendly services were introduced in the public health care system.
Five NGOs run preventive projects for vulnerable groups. Six provide home care for infected people.
Country Coordination Mechanism of National AIDS and TB Programmes
Ministry of Health of Moldova
National AIDS Centre
Republican Dermato-Venerological Dispensary
Republican Narcological Dispensary
National Blood Centre
District (Rayon’s) medical institutions (Centers of Preventive Medicine, Dermato-Venerological cabinets, rayon's hospitals)
RSS