Regional anti-AIDS centre opens in Armenia

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
16 Jun 04

[Presenter] The rate of growth of AIDS in the Eastern Europe and
Central Asia is the highest in the world. The international anti-AIDS
organizations consider Armenia part of this region and urge it to
start new preventive measures. According to the latest information,
there are more than 1.5m HIV-positive people in the former Soviet
republics, a regional anti-AIDS centre in Yerevan has said.

[Correspondent] Among the regional countries there are 271 HIV-positive
registered people in Armenia, there are more than 500 in Georgia, but
no research has been done at all by Azerbaijan in this sphere. The
regional anti-AIDS centre will function in Yerevan. The UN resident
coordinator and UNDP resident representative, Renate Ehmer, said
that the establishment of the centre is a result of the Armenian
government’s consistent work.

[Renate Ehmer, captioned, in English with Armenian voice over]
This issue has been discussed for a long time in Geneva. Finally,
it was decided that the centre will be opened in Armenia. The
Armenian government was pro-active on this issue and called for the
establishment of the centre in Armenia.

[Correspondent] Armenia will receive 7m dollars to implement the
national anti-AIDS programme, of which 1m dollars has already been
allocated. Renate Ehmer noted that the centre’s main aim is to work
efficiently and make the best use of the allocated funds. Speaking
about the international recognition of Armenicum [anti-AIDS medicine]
Renate Ehmer said that this medicine should be used abroad.

Anna Vardanyan, “Aylur”.