Surging epidemic in Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe and central Asia is the only region in the world where the HIV epidemic is continuing to rise rapidly, with a 57% increase in new infections between 2010 and 2015. More than 80% of the region’s new HIV infections in 2015 are in the Russian Federation, and more than half of new HIV infections are in people who inject drugs. Compounding this, stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV, drug users and other marginalised groups remain high. New conservative legislation is placing additional restrictions on same-sex relationships, sex work and drug use, entrenching barriers to HIV services for populations particularly at risk.