Not many people in the Caribbean can point to Moldova on a world map. That’s about to change for Red Cross HIV youth volunteers as Moldova is the newest country in the world to introduce the “Together We Can” programme.

“The Caribbean National Red Cross Societies can now feel justifiably proud that a Caribbean designed and produced methodology – the flagship “Together We Can” youth peer education methodology – is now being used in Moldova in Eastern Europe by the Moldovan Red Cross assisted by the French Red Cross,” says John Fleming, the regional health delegate for Central America and the Caribbean based at the Panama Regional Delegation.

Fleming sees this development as a plus. “Together We Can’s” focus on youth and its interactive format appeals to adolescents across all cultures and this is apparent when we now consider that “Together We Can” is being used in six languages with at least 35 National Societies exposed to the methodology and most now actively using it in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Africa and now Eastern Europe.

“Together We Can” has come a long way since its inception in Jamaica and it is a tribute to the Jamaica Red Cross and the “Together We Can” Regional Faculty that it continues to grow in popularity throughout the world.”

The “Together We Can” programme methodology has been translated from English into Spanish, Dutch, Creole, Papiamento and now Moldovan.

HIV in Moldova

Sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is considered the poorest country in Europe.

HIV, other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Tuberculosis (TB) are considered the most urgent public health problems in this country of 4.5 million.

Figures for 2005 show 28,000 adults aged 15-49 with HIV - 16,000 are women. Persons who died from AIDS in 2005 total 1,400.

The majority of HIV cases are concentrated in the districts of Balti, Chisinau and Transnistria.

Action to fight HIV and TB by the government of this former member of the Soviet Union has slowed the growth of these epidemics.

In the case of HIV, its spread has slowed particularly among injected drug users. Comprehensive prevention, treatment and care measures in the government’s National HIV/AIDS control program accounts for this success.

Most infections occur among young drug injectors and their sexual partners and this group is targeted with educational and harm reduction activities.

There are currently 19 such programmes across the country, mainly needle exchange activities.

Another group at risk, those who sell sexual services (1 in 20 has been found to be infected with HIV) is targeted with prevention measures like condom distribution.