The HIV/AIDS epidemic broke out among intravenous drug users and sex workers in Ukraine in the early 2000’s. It is now one of the most serious in Europe. An estimated 400,000 Ukrainians are now living with the virus. As producer Hélène Michaud discovers, a new face of the virus is emerging: more and more young people who do not belong to marginalised groups are getting infected.
In the programme, Dutch doctor Alexander Thissen returns to the clinic where he worked for 15 months at the height of the epidemic in the city of Odessa, also known as “the pearl of the Black Sea” .
Produced by Hélène Michaud in collaboration with BBC Crossing Continents on BBC Radio 4
Broadcast: by Radio Netherlands and on BBC 4 in December 2005 and January 2006