Russian TV host becomes first public figure to come out as HIV positive in the country

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Tuesday evening saw Russian television host Pavel Lobkov making history by admitting on air that he had been diagnosed as HIV positive in 2003, the Washington Post reports. Lobkov is a host for the independent Dozhd channel and became the first public figure in recent years to come out and make his condition public.

The 48-year-old made the announcement on World Aids Day, Independent reports. He also described his experience of being made aware of his diagnosis in a private clinic in 2003, saying that the doctor "had a thick file crossed with a red marker—'HIV-positive.'"

"The doctor, with a face like a Soviet buddha, told me: 'You can no longer use the program of voluntary medical insurance because you’ve been diagnosed with HIV," Lobkov admitted. "Your case will be transferred to the Moscow health-care committee. All the best. Goodbye."

The Verge reports that Lobkov proclaimed, "Today I accomplished a serious feat in my life." He was previously fired from the state-run NTV channel in 2012 because of his alleged involvement with protests against President Vladimir Putin.

Lobkov also took to social media to thank his followers, writing on his Facebook page, "Thank you all for your support! This is our struggle with the Middle Ages, with the tribal system, paternalism and, ultimately, the complete, everyday lies."

The Washington Post reports that according to Russia's Health Ministry, over a million Russians will be diagnosed with HIV by the time 2015 ends, a situation they call "an epidemic". Russia's Federal Center on AIDS reported that there are currently 986,657 who are HIV-positive, and 73,777 new cases have been diagnosed this year, marking a 12 percent increase from last year.

The Verge reports that most of the blame falls on conservative lawmakers whose policies of the Russian government have banned methadone and other forms of opiate substitution therapy. As much as 60 percent of Russia's HIV-positive population are injection drug users. Moreover, schools still prefer teaching abstinence instead of prevention-based sex education, while HIV-positive Russians continuously face discrimination.

According to the World Health Organization's 2014 global update on the health sector response to HIV, one of the main goals in the near future is to "reduce vulnerabilities and remove structural barriers" because there is still "continued stigma and discrimination, disparities in access to essential services and criminalization of key populations. Progress in a few countries, but a worsening situation in others."

For more information on the global status of HIV, log on to who.int.