National program for AIDS prophylaxis in Ukraine for the period of 1995 - 1997 was elaborated to struggle against "plague of 20th century". But it was not adopted yet, said First Deputy Chairman of National President's anti-AIDS committee of Ukraine Valeri Ivasiuk in his interview to "Kievskije Vedomosti".

-- The program was signed by all ministries: Ministry for health protection, for social ensuring, for interior affairs, for education, for youth and sports questions, for economy and for finances. But the project is stalled: from one side,-- said Valeri Ivasiuk,-- by Cabinet of Ministers, and from the other side, by Vice Prime minister, Minister of defense Valeri Shmarov.

-- I know Shmarov as a person that always acts wisely and constructively, and I consider that his decision not to sign the project is a result of influence of officials of last and the new Ministry for health protection. We have received a letter from Vice Prime Minister in which he grounds his decision not to support the National program. This is his issue: the program for struggle against AIDS is not urgent, because, according to his information, there are just 9 AIDS-infected in Ukraine. Shmarov insists that such a few diseased take great state means and facilities, while struggle against such infections as cholera, tuberculosis and diphtheria, that deprive people of good health and even lives, is not supported by state budget. Thus, the Vice Prime Minister proposes, it is necessary to take money from anti-AIDS program and put it to fight against these diseases.

Valeri Ivasiuk does not agree with such conclusion. Moreover, two more bad sensations have appeared at anti-AIDS battle field. First, the epidemic in Ukraine is not of typical flow. Specialists suppose that an own, regional form of HIV is forming in Ukraine: the virus is million times more changeable than the most fickle virus known to people -- the virus of influenza. HIVs have already given birth to a variety of subforms and subtypes. A new, third HIV was registered in a world famous Pasteur institute -- subtype O (do not mix with zero). It can not be revealed by ordinary tests. Unfortunately,-- said Valeri Ivasiuk,-- we have registered some obscure cases of AIDS among blood donors if Symferopol, moreover, it was done at the stage of so called early sulphur conversion, when no system can reveal it.

So, it is in place to remember an opinion of Vitali Kordium member of Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences. During many years Ukraine lives in a state of extremum (economic and ecological crisis, Chernobyl atomic power station catastrophe, social shocks and crashes). All these influence the immunity bad. It is natural to suppose that new forms of HIV appear in Ukraine. Their adaptation is already finishing. Probably in close future an explosion of AIDS epidemic will occur in Ukraine,-- Mr. Kordium considers.

Another bad sensation, according to Mr. Ivasiuk, is that in a very short time 8 drugs users were registered as AIDS infected through a syringe ("Kievskije Vedomosty" already informed, that more than 40 people used one syringe with 5 HIV-infected drugs users from Nilolajev district). If we take under account that drugs are used several times every day, and one syringe is used by 10 drugs users average 10 times, we can imagine what a fire gas already spread in Ukraine. Thus, we can not agree that state means and facilities will be used for unimportant goals.

Valeri Ivasiuk has objected a note that Valeri Shmarov may become infected in a very well-based manner:

-- He may not. Elite medicine guarantees impossibility if HIV-infection. Also, most of supreme officials are of such age that sexual intercourse variant of HIV infection is not up to date.

Mr. Ivasiuk declared, that generally the National committee could pass through Shmarov, because all other Vice Prime Ministers has signed the program. But we must not pass through Ministry of defense, because it has its own blood bank that must be safe.

-- In his greeting speech at the 1st National conference for AIDS problems the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma stressed: "Irrespective of starting few diseased and HIV-infected, world community is in an integrated epidemic space for AIDS"-- Valeri Ivasiuk quoted. This is position of the President, to whom Valeri Shmarov submits. Leonid Kuchma also quoted UN documents in his speech: "Governments are responsible at citizens of their states." Thus, there is some kind of irregularity in positions of the President and his subordinates.

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In several days after this article was published Valeri Shmarov signed National program for AIDS prophylaxis in Ukraine for the period of 1995 - 1997.