The RRC comprehensive medical and social support program has significantly increased the adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-positive participants. Following the systematic support by psychologists, social workers, and peer counselors, the proportion of patients taking treatment on a regular basis has increased fr om 50% to 72%.
These data are based upon preliminary results of the updated three-level program of the Russian Red Cross, which in 2025 shifted its focus from the number of activities to the quality and depth of the provided support. The data are compiled following the monitoring among 1,200 beneficiaries from 54 regions of Russia.
“Our program helps HIV-positive people to find stability and feel part of society. Once such impediments as fears, loneliness, social difficulties are removed, people begin to take care of their health. The systematic work on behalf of the RRC, including psychological support, social support, and peer counseling, led to a key result. While only half of the participants were committed to therapy at the beginning of the program, by the end of the program, nearly 72% were committed. The group of those completely uncommitted to treatment decreased nearly sixfold”, accentuated Pavel SAVCHUK, the President of the Russian Red Cross, a member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation.
The program places particular emphasis on tertiary prevention, which is aimed at supporting the life quality of HIV-positive people. According to RRC data, psychological support reduced participants’ fear levels by a third, anxiety levels by a similar scale, and reduced by half the number of people, who refused to accept their diagnosis.
Peer counselors play an important role in the program. These are people who are HIV-positive themselves and help others navigate the difficult path of adaptation. Over the past year, the number of peer counselors at the RRC has grown from 24 to 104 certified specialists, meanwhile another 140 are currently undergoing special training. In 2025, they held nearly 13,000 consultations.
“One of our beneficiaries was hiding his diagnosis from his parents for five years due to the fear of their reaction. After attending the RRC support group, he rose to the challenge to speak frankly with his family members and received their support. He said that for the first time in many years, he felt relieved. This is true prevention, which is the prevention not only of the virus, but also of loneliness, fear, and isolation”, commented Pavel SAVCHUK.
Beyond the tertiary prevention, the Russian Red Cross program also covers other levels of prevention, forming a continuous system of assistance. Primary prevention is aimed at educating the general public and conducting mass testing. Since 2021, more than 650,000 people have received reliable information about HIV infection during Russian Red Cross activities. Since 2022, the RRC has conducted more than 130,000 rapid tests under nationwide campaigns and the daily work of RRC regional branches.
The secondary prevention focuses on early detection and referrals to AIDS centers for members of key populations. In this connection, RRC regional branches conduct targeted testing in areas wh ere the access to medical care is limited. 75% of beneficiaries enrolled in the program through outreach work were successfully referred to specialized healthcare facilities. The RRC “Patient School” plays a special role at this level. It offers a series of instructional videos that had already been watched by about 2,000 people in 2025. These videos provide clear instructions, namely from understanding the diagnosis and starting the treatment to legal aspects and communicating with loved ones, complementing the work of medical institutions.
