Ten thousand Moldovan military have learned to stay healthy through a project of United Nations Development Programme

More than 10,000 Moldovan military participated for a year at seminars on prevention methods against sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. The courses were taught by trainers from the military, trained with support from the United Nations Development Programme and in cooperation with the United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Moldova.

“Now I know that everything is up to me”
Pavel Bostan from the village of Vranesti , Sangerei district, was drafted to the army in May 2004. He is a junior sergeant, and he says that he's learned a lot in the army. Sometimes he can't even believe that before the age of 18 he wasn't aware of so many things that could affect his health and even life.

Once a month Pavel, along with other soldiers of the Balti Motorized Infantry Brigade N1 “ Moldova ”, go to the Officers' House in the city to talk with their brothers-in-arms about preventive measures against sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS.

The deputy head of the education division of the Balti Motorized Infantry Brigade N1 “Moldova”, lieutenant-colonel Bujor Popusoi, says the majority of the soldiers come from an environment where talk about sex-related subjects and terminology is almost taboo. So the young soldiers feel embarrassed at the beginning and are initially reticent to accept what they hear during lectures. The lieutenant-colonel believes that UNDP support is very important, since the military have the opportunity to hear from competent professionals about such things rather than from other people, whose intentions are oftentimes not that honest.

Bujor Popusoi is one of the 30 local trainers who have been trained at courses organized by UNDP. Gabriela Ionascu, Country Advisor of the United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS), says that every local trainer in turn teaches other trainers. Due to the deep involvement of the Ministry of Defence and high officials managing military units in implementing the project, today in almost every military unit of border guards and carabineers there is a person training the young soldiers about safe sex and hygiene.

Protected leave

 The soldiers say they have found out answers to many questions about the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. Alexandru Brasovan, junior sergeant, says that now every soldier has his own toothbrush and doesn't use borrowed razor blades, and when their health bothers them, the soldiers see a doctor, which was something almost inconceivable before they joined the force.

Alexandru has been home on leave several times. He says proudly that he has told his friends from the village about the hazards of unprotected sex. Moreover, every time he goes home, Alexandru, as all the other military, receives condoms from the unit's medical office. The condoms come from UNFPA donations and are distributed for free as part of UNDP's project on the Prevention of STIs and HIV/AIDS in the Army.

“We understand that this message will not only affect the youth doing their military service,” lieutenant-colonel Bujor Popusoi says, “but will reach many of their peers they are going to see when they return home.” In order to strengthen the knowledge discussed in classes, the young people also receive booklets with details on how to protect their health.

Recent data show that there has been a decrease in the number of new HIV infections. Even though it is insignificant, this decrease has been possible due to a number of youth-targeted information activities on STI and HIV/AIDS prevention methods, specialists say. UNDP is prepared to continue this effort.

 Pavel Bostan, junior sergeant

“My parents told me to be careful, but they never told me how and why. Only after attending classes on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS I realized what's what!”

 Alexandru Brasovan, junior sergeant

 “I heard about condoms for the first time at school during biology classes, but I never saw any. Later on, my parents used to slip condoms into my pockets but I didn't know what they were for. Now I know they are something necessary, especially for young people.”

 Bujor Popusoi, lieutenant-colonel, deputy head of the education division of the Balti Motorized Infantry Brigade N1 “ Moldova ”

 “I am convinced we are doing a good thing, since when we look at the social profile of our soldiers we see that many of them have gone only through the compulsory nine grades of school, and nobody knows what they did between school and the army.”

 Gabriela Ionascu, UNAIDS Country Advisor:

 “What we wanted was that during the year when the young men serve in the National Army, they learn as much as possible about the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. I believe we've managed to create a good network of resource people who can answer any question asked by soldiers.”

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