US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN550

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000550 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, EUR/ACE, EUR/PGI 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHIV, SOCI, EAID, ECON, AM 
SUBJECT:  ANOTHER LOOK AT HIV/AIDS IN ARMENIA 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
REFTEL:  YEREVAN 522 
 
1. (U) Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please treat 
accordingly. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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2. (SBU) Summary:  Armenia's proximity to countries hit 
hard by the HIV/AIDS epidemic (Russia, Georgia and 
Ukraine) raises concerns about its vulnerability and 
the actions the GOAM is taking to address the problem. 
Experts agree that, while there is a low incidence of 
HIV/AIDS in Armenia at present, it is important to 
increase efforts at awareness and education to counter 
the problem before it grows out of hand.  The USD 7.2 
million grant to Armenia from the UN Global Aids Fund 
(25 percent funded by the USG) has bolstered the 
international donor community's efforts in this field. 
The USG is offering technical assistance as the GOAM 
combines the country's main HIV/AIDS and sexually 
transmitted infection (STI) centers.  HIV/AIDS 
awareness and prevention campaigns will only be 
successful among Armenia's mostly conservative society 
if the GOAM supports awareness campaigns that 
aggressively address this traditionally taboo issue. 
End Summary. 
 
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HIV/AIDS INCIDENCE STILL RELATIVELY LOW 
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3. (U) Many in the international community jump to the 
conclusion that Armenia, like its neighbor Georgia, is 
suffering from an HIV/AIDS epidemic that reaches far 
into the population.  Although many experts believe 
that the GOAM continues to underestimate the problem 
(the GOAM reports there are only 252 registered cases 
of HIV/AIDS in the country), most experts agree that 
its scope is still relatively limited.  The UN 
categorizes Armenia as a "basic" country in terms of 
HIV/AIDS incidence.  This classification presumes that 
less than one percent of the total population carries 
the infection. 
 
4. (U) The relatively low degree of HIV/AIDS in Armenia 
is a bit of an anomaly given the aggressive spread of 
the disease in neighboring Russia, Georgia and other 
CIS countries.  Many point to Armenia's isolation 
during the early 1990s and early efforts aimed at 
awareness and prevention as reasons for the low level 
of infection.  Some Diaspora advocacy groups have 
expressed concern to us, however, that the increasing 
flows of migrants between Russia and Armenia (mostly as 
seasonal laborers) may eventually lead to increased 
rates of HIV/AIDS infection in Armenia. 
 
5. (U) Health experts believe that transmission of 
HIV/AIDS in Armenia takes place via heterosexual 
intercourse within high-risk populations.  Like many 
countries in the region, Armenia's high-risk population 
consists mainly of intravenous drug users, commercial 
sex workers, military personnel, migrant workers, and 
prison populations. 
 
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GLOBAL FUND PROGRAMS AIM TO KEEP INCIDENCE LOW 
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6. (U) The UN Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS allocated 
USD 7.2 Million to Armenia in 2003.  Experts report 
that this is a healthy sum for a country like Armenia 
and should fund a substantial program with national 
reach.  These monies will be used for education, 
awareness and prevention programs.  In addition, 
programs for voluntary testing and counseling centers 
will open throughout the country.  These centers will 
work through a network of local NGOS.  USAID is working 
with the primary recipient, World Vision, to facilitate 
the program.  According to information from the 
Ministry of Health, the GOAM will likely not apply to 
the Global Fund for AIDS-related programs in FY '05 but 
will instead apply for Tuberculosis (TB) funding. 
 
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GOAM MERGING AIDS, STI EFFORTS 
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7. (U) Beyond the specific question of HIV/AIDS, 
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) remain a serious 
problem in Armenia.  Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis and 
other infections spread more rapidly among the Armenian 
population, but have received less attention from the 
global community.  While GOAM resources to confront the 
spread of STIs remain limited, donor community programs 
(including USG assistance efforts) are working to curb 
this problem. 
 
8. (U) The GOAM recently merged the Armenian National 
STI Center and the Armenian HIV/AIDS Center into one 
management unit.  The former director of the STI center 
will now serve as the director of the new combined 
entity.  This move has bureaucratic implications that 
could affect its ability to apply for and administer 
future funding.  USAID is monitoring the situation 
carefully to facilitate a smooth merger that won't 
damage ongoing projects. 
 
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COMMENT 
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9. (SBU) As in many places, the HIV/AIDS issue hits 
sensitive nerves in Armenia's traditionally 
conservative society.  While there is political will 
from the high-levels of the GOAM and within the 
healthcare community to address the issue, the real 
work of education, awareness and prevention lies with 
the everyday population.  High expectations about the 
much-touted Armenecum treatment for HIV/AIDS (developed 
by Armenian scientists) appears to have waned in recent 
months, leaving Armenia to face the more mundane but 
dangerous reality of keeping the epidemic under control 
and treating those already infected by the disease. 
The GOAM will have to support donor community efforts 
to create buy-in among the population if prevention 
efforts are to succeed. 
 
ORDWAY