A roundtable on HIV and migration took place in Chisinau, on November 14-15, 2006, organized by the International Organization for Migration, Mission to Republic of Moldova.

The event gathered representatives of governmental institutions from the Republic of Moldova, international experts in HIV and migration field, relevant UN theme group as well as civil society representatives active in HIV area who discussed issues related to HIV and migration, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), migrants' health and social protection. Additionally, the Chisinau roundtable aimed at raising public opinion awareness to HIV dissemination among migrants and the mobile population from Moldova.

The need for this event derives form the constant increase of HIV and STIs cases among migrants and mobile population of the Republic of Moldova, in the context of Moldova's out migration phenomenon. According to data provided by the AIDS Center, within the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, 533 new HIV cases were registered in 2005, which constitutes 12,5 per 100000 population. During the first semester of current year, 301 new cases of HIV have been detected, compared to 6 months of 2005, when 236 cases were identified.

"Migration splits families and couples used to having unprotected sex with only one partner. Quite frequently separation leads to new relations some of which can be risky and the virus is transmitted as an indirect consequence of separation through migration", stated Martin Andreas Wyss, IOM Moldova Chief of Mission.

Among the subjects discussed in the "HIV and Migration" roundtable were: policies on HIV and migration, vulnerability of mobile populations, effective prevention strategies to respond to HIV, treatment and care services, epidemiological aspects of HIV and migration in Moldova, HIV/STIs infections among trafficked women in Ukraine and Moldova, the role of consular services in protection of migrants' health rights abroad.

TThe participants were also familiarized with the results of HIV and STIs prevention activities carried out among Moldovan communities in Italy and Russia, two main destination countries for Moldovan migrants. These activities, as well as the roundtable, were developed in the framework of the project "HIV Prevention among Migrants in the Republic of Moldova", which is currently being implemented by IOM Moldova with the financial support from the Global Fund to Fight HIV/TB/Malaria and Soros Foundation-Moldova.

For further information, please contact Iraida Margineanu, IOM Chisinau, Tel. +373 222 329 41, imargineanu@iom.int