Convictus Estonia “HIV is spreading more and more through sexual contacts”

Now that the lights of the World AIDS Day are fading away as talking about HIV does not mean riding the hottest issue of the day, from Estonian Free Press we decided to keep talking about this topic trying to raise the attention of our public on something that should not get to the front page of magazines once every over 300 days.

Presenting some statistics about HIV diffusion in Estonia and then discussing the loss of more than 3000 HIV positive people only few days ago, we set the basis of something we want to become a punctual appointment for the columns of our magazine.

In this sense, from today onwards, we will try to inform our readers about prevention and services dedicated to HIV positive people through the words of the people who knows this field the most and deal with it every day.

Our first guest is Kristina Joost, manager of Convictus Estonia – an NGO entirely devoted to the help of HIV positive people and drug addicts and with her we tried to discuss about the activities of her association and the future of prevention campaigns.

Since quite some years we are told that HIV diffusion is all about information: the more we know, the easier we can avoid it. How much to we still need to know to fight it for real?

Right now people need to acknowledge that HIV does not only spread among injecting drug users. According to the latest statistics HIV is spreading more and more through sexual contacts. Unfortunately young people don’t see themselves as a risk group and therefore get infected.

In our work we also see that not knowing causes irrational fear. HIV spreads only through sharing infected needles, unprotected sex and from pregnant mother to child.  HIV does not spread through kissing, shaking hands, mosquito bites, hugging, toilet seats etc. In fact outside human body HIV is a very weak virus.

So we need to be aware of the facts, take care of ourselves and not be afraid.

What is “Convictus” – how did it start?

Convictus Estonia is a non-governmental organization that offers psychosocial help and consultations for HIV-positive and/or drug addicted people.

Convictus Estonia was organized in October 2002 with the help of Convictus Sweden. The mother-organization started working with HIV-positive homeless drug addicts in Stockholm more than 19 years ago.

The principal activities of Convictus Estonia are concerned with needle ex-change, counseling of drug addicts and ex-drug users, organizing support groups for HIV-positive (ex-) inmates and drug addicts, education for young people.

The organization focuses on four priority areas: improving the prison situation for HIV infected prisoners; harm reduction (needle exchange point and outreach work); and support groups for former prisoners with HIV or drug addiction problems and support services for ex-drug users.

Who are the people participating in the initiative?

In Convictus work 18 people. Our organization work people with different backgrounds. Almost half of our staff has a history of drug abuse and some of them are HIV-positive. Their previous experience with drugs is crucial in getting contact with drug addicted people.  In our collective work also medical sisters, social workers, family therapist etc. We also welcome volunteers some of them help us with organizing events or take care of our homepage but also assist with their professional knowledge and skills.

How difficult is to reach your target people? Estonians are known to be not the most open people in the world, and admitting publicly to be drug addict or HIV positive is probably not the easiest thing: what do you do to make people join you?

Convictus does not judge people for having drug addiction or HIV therefore we never lack of clients.

You published “Simple Stories” : how is the life of an HIV positive in Estonia? Are there still many passive and active discriminations?

This is very hard to comment as in Estonia there has been no research on stigma. Therefore the opinions on stigma remain unfortunately very subjective.

Information, campaign and help cost money: who are Convictus partners?

Convcitus primary partners are governmental organizations including Ministry of Justice, National Institute for Health Development, Probation Office etc. We also work closely with Tartu University to carry our researches also other NGOs working in this field in Estonia and from all over Europe.

The budget deficit obliged the Government to cut expenses everywhere – including in healthcare. Is this a threat for the development of HIV prevention campaigns in the country?

Unfortunately the economical crisis has also affected the work in the field of HIV/AIDS. Governmental priorities are prevention and harm reduction therefore the HIV prevention campaigns have been kept on a certain level.

2010 is about to start, what do you wish Convictus to achieve during the coming year?

The coming year is very important for us. We hope to expand the activities of our needle exchange project and open a social rehabilitation centre for drug problematic released prisoners.  As important is to continue our work in Estonian prisons with HIV-positive people and drug addicts as well giving lectures about HIV/AIDS and drug addiction.