APRAD (Albanian Association for Prevention and Rehabilitation from Aids and Drugs) - a recent EPHA Member - has started in January 2005 a project about HIV prevention which targets internal migrants and the Roma Community in particular.
The Dutch NGO CORDAID, financially supports this one-year activity.
The project main long-run objective is to create more awareness and raise widespread prevention practices throughout the Roma community in Albania, usually forgotten by public policies.
Therefore, creating HIV/AIDS prevention behaviours inside the Roma community itself seems of importance to prevent the epidemic from expanding dramatically.
In march 2005, APRAD focused its activities on multiplying contacts with medias in order to promote a Human-Right-based approach to HIV prevention. They designed TV and press campaigns. As a result, they experienced an 6% increase in the number of visitors in their centres.
They also began to provide free counseling services to Roma women through their mobile units. These units respond adequately to the mobility of migrants. It is also used to give free testing, free access to condoms and vaccination to hepatitis and C.
For more information, you can contact Mr Rezarta Meneri. They issue a monthly newspaper with the developments of the project.
Related EPHA article: Report highlights discrimination against Roma, Gypsies and Travellers.
Other EPHA members working on HIV/AIDS: AIDES, AIDS Fonds, AIDS Foundation Robert, the European AIDS Treatment Group, the International Centre of Health Protection - HERA, LILA CEDIUS - Center for Human Rights and Public Health, ARAS - the Romanian Association Against AIDS, International HIV Alliance, and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
