Election contenders do not focus on HIV and TB related problems

None of the electoral platforms of the parties running in the November 28 early legislative elections contains measures aimed at combating and preventing drug taking and such diseases as tuberculosis or AIDS, say NGOs working in the field, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. During an informal discussion with reporters, Ala Iatsko, the head of the Union for HIV Prevention and Risk Reduction in Moldova, said the HIV-infected persons continue to be considered as failed for society. Thus, no platform includes a clear working strategy for this area. The situation as regards the combating, prevention and prophylaxis of tuberculosis is not better, said the head of the Association “Carlux” Lilian Severin. “There is only the national tuberculosis combating strategy, but Moldova ranks third in Europe by the number of HIV-infected persons,” he stated. Only the platform of the Democrat Party refers to projects intended for persons with disabilities, said Lucia Gavrilita, coordinator for the Center “Spranta”. Even if the Parliament ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, this group of persons continues to be regarded as invalids. The electoral platforms contain more assistance policies on the provision of allowances, not yet integrationist solutions for these persons, said the expert. Statistics show each fifth person in Moldova either suffers from a disability or looks after a disabled person.