Republic of Moldova

International target

• Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS.
  
• Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases.

Initial national targets

• Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS. Reduce the HIV/AIDS incidence from 4.66 (per 100,000 population) in 2002 down to 4 in 2006, 3.5 in 2010, and 3.2 in 2015.
  
• Reduce HIV infection among the 15-24 year-old population from 6 in 2002 down to 4.9 in 2006, 4.2 in 2010, and 4 in 2015.
  
• Have halted by 2015 and begun to reduce tuberculosis. Reduce the rate of mortality associated with tuberculosis from 15.8 (per 100,000 population) in 2002 down to 13.9 in 2006, 12.0 in 2010, and 7 in 2015.
  

Revised national targets

• Stabilize the spread of HIV/AIDS infection by 2015. Reduce HIV/AIDS incidence to 9.6 cases per 100 thousand population by 2010 and 8 cases by 2015.
  
• Reduce HIV/AIDS incidence to 11.2 cases per 100 thousand population by 2010 and 11 cases by 2015 in the 15-24-year age group.
  
• Have halted by 2015 and begun to reduce tuberculosis. Reduce the rate of mortality associated with tuberculosis from 15.9 (per 100,000 population) in 2002 down to 15.0 in 2010 and 10.0 in 2015.

(Source: draft National Report „Millennium Development Goals Report:„New Challenges – New Objectives”)

 

A paramount task for the entire society, set forth in the Millennium Development Goals, is combating socially-conditioned diseases like HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Despite some substantial action in this area, the Republic of Moldova has not accomplished the MDG goal of reducing, by 2006, HIV/AIDS incidence and TB-associated mortality.

The efficiency of combating socially conditioned diseases is to a great extent the result of overall social efforts, including lifestyles and behavior patterns of each and every individual. Currently, the degree of people’s confidence in methods/mechanisms of HIV/AIDS prevention is quite low. With regards to tuberculosis incidence and statistical development in this area, the implementation of DOTS Program has contributed to the active diagnosis of tuberculosis and development of statistics in this area, something which will contribute to monitoring and incidence estimation over the next years. Access to testing and free treatment explains the high incidence of tuberculosis.

The Republic of Moldova did not reach its intermediary 2006 MDG goal in HIV/AIDS incidence and TB-associated mortality. The epidemiological situation is a major challenge, with an global incidence of 132.5 cases per 100,000 population in 2006.  In this context, the situation in Transnistria is quite alarming, taking into account that 25% of all new cases were diagnosed there.  HIV incidence in the 15-24-year old population in 2006 represented 13.32 cases per 100,000 people, compared to 11.74 in 2005. The predominant way of HIV transmission is through sexual contact (67.32%). The intermediary target for 2006 for HIV incidence in the 15-24-year age group was not reached; the current level is actually three times worse than the desired target.  41 HIV+ children under the age of 18 with confirmed diagnosis are officially registered, 19 of them need antiretroviral treatment. The number of children living in families affected by HIV is not known. According to preliminary estimates by experts, the range is between 800 and 2600 children. 

In 2006, the global incidence of TB infection (new plus old cases) was 128 cases per 100,000, a small decrease compared to previous years. TB-associated mortality represented 18.6 cases per 100,000 people, being higher than in 2004, when a 16.8 figure per 100 thousand cases was registered. TB mortality exceeds, by far, the 2006 intermediary target of 13.9 cases. More...