[Released by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]
February 5-12, 2011, A delegation of seven senior Russian Government HIV experts and policy makers, including representatives from the Russian Duma and the Federal AIDS Center, visited the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute and various HIV/AIDS and substance abuse programs to discuss state and local level management and integration of HIV services. The delegation also visited the Stanley Street Treatment and Resources program (SSTAR) in Providence, Rhode Island to discuss HIV prevention services and partnerships between government and NGOs. The delegation’s U.S. visit concluded with meetings in Washington, D.C. with government representatives from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) at the Department of State, the Health Resources and Services Administration, USAID, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. At OGAC, the delegation discussed President Obama’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) with Ambassador Eric Goosby. They also reviewed PEPFAR approaches to addressing the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, and exchanged best practices in prevention methods for most-at-risk populations, particularly injecting drug users.
