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 | Russia 
Russia
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 The epidemic in Russia continues to be a source of concern due to the fast rising number of infections. The United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, estimated that 860,000 people (420,000-1,400,000) were living with HIV. Learn more...(PDF). |
The engagement of IFC against AIDS in Russia started in 2005 with an initial assessment of the HIV/AIDS situation in the country. After evaluating the terrain with regard to the epidemic in the country, the program adopted a premeditated approach predicated on getting an understanding of how employers and employees feel about HIV. This approach came against the backdrop of other health challenges affecting the private sector in Russia: work related accidents, alcoholism, and non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and cancer. The use of workplaces as venues for health messaging, and the appreciation at corporate level of the long-term health of employees and how it relates to companies’ bottom line, will depend on how employers and employees think about health and health messages.
In keeping with its approach of gaining an understanding of how employers and employees think about HIV, IFC Against AIDS conceived the idea of the Russia Occupational Health and HIV/AIDS Perceptions Study, and in December 2005 initiated a meeting of a group of partner organizations in Helsinki, Finland. These included the STAKES International Development Collaboration (STAKES), the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), and West Bridge Consulting (WBC). Supported by the Finish Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Finland/IFC Technical Assistance Trust Fund, the study will focus on a basic assessment of health resources and infrastructure in the workplace (roughly 30% LOE), and attitudes and perceptions concerning those resources or lack thereof (roughly 70% of LOE).
Through this study, which is also part of a collaboration with the World Bank’s Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region, IFC Against AIDS hopes to elucidate a picture of the situation that will act as a rough sketch and outline of how employers and employees feel about issues of health as presented or addressed in the workplace. This study will not only benefit IFC but findings will be disseminated to multilateral and bilateral agencies, as well as the local and federal government in Russia so that they can use the results to inform their own strategic decisions on this issue. The project is scheduled to be carried out from December 2005 to September 2006.
Role of consultancies
The project will be implemented by three consultancies, WBC, STAKES, and FIOH, with WBC as the lead for the project and ultimately responsible for all deliverables. WBC and STAKES will be implementing the actual surveys and data collection, with the FIOH acting in an advisory capacity. Funding for the project is from three sources: all work done by STAKES International Development Collaboration and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health will be paid for through the Finland/IFC Technical Assistance Trust Fund, while the work by West Bridge Consulting will be paid for through the Finland/IFC Technical Assistance Trust Fund and IFC Against AIDS budget.
Implementation
The study will be executed in three geographies, Moscow region, St. Petersburg region, and Petrosovodsk. WBC and STAKES will work with Russian partners with expertise to do the actual surveying and interviewing. Participating companies will be identified through a number of sources: the roster of IFC clients, Finpro, a Finnish business member organization, the Transatlantic Partnership Against AIDS (TPPA), as well as the recommendations from our colleagues in Russia. We are planning to survey 25-27 companies from a diversity of sectors and locations to try and get a generalizable sample. According to the implementation timeline, all surveys will be completed and data collected from companies by the end of May 2006, and the final report is expected in September 2006 |
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