This Policy Brief assesses the state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in St. Petersburg, Russia and its social and economic consequences. The Policy Brief is intended to serve as an informational and analytical resource for both federal and regional administrators as well as other stakeholders, promoting the development, execution and implementation of effective measures and decisions to fight the spread of HIV in St. Petersburg and other regions of Russia.The city of St. Petersburg plays a significant role in the formulation of state policy and is one of the key Russian regions that have extensive experience in implementation of HIV/AIDS programs.

The document includes analysis of regional legislation in the sphere of HIV, along with an overview of actions taken by the city government and civil society organisations in HIV prevention and treatment. The analysis is tied to a set of tangible recommendations on HIV/AIDS policy priorities, governmental measures to effectively address the epidemic, and how to strength the system of medical services to cope with HIV/AIDS.

The publication is the product of a partnership between Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS (TPAA), the St. Petersburg Center for the Prevention and Fight of AIDS and STDs, and experts from the non-profit organization, APROCON. Financial support for this Policy Brief was provided by the AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW) within the framework of the GLOBUS project, and by the U.S. Agency for International Development.