The number of infected with HIV is increasingly growing, despite tens of non-government and international organisations for prevention and treatment of AIDS currently working in Kirghizia and constant loud campaigning (awareness events, concerts, distribution of free condoms and syringes, seminars etc.). Most of the infected are drug-addicts and prostitutes. Since 1987 when the first case of AIDS was registered in the republic, there have been 15 deaths from the disease, 8 of them — in
Osh Region. In the meantime, in the villages and particularly in the south, the notions of safe sex and sex in general still remain rather vague. Recently a non-government Centre for Help to Women has conducted a research and found out that conservative stereotypes and false shamefulness still persist in the rural communities and get on the way of normal sexual education of children and adolescents. The subject of human physiology and safe sex is not discussed with children in Kirghiz families, it’s a taboo. That is why most children find out about sexual side of life from pornographic films, friends and tabloids. And some grown-up men seriously believe that they must not use condoms to avoid rheumatism.
The researchers found out about an incredible incident in one of the Osh Region villages. A prostitute came to her native village from Bishkek and at a space of a month infected all the village men with an STD who then infected their wives. During the poll it turned out that the men
don’t feel responsible for what happened, blaming everybody but themselves — women, the state that must look after them and "not put them into danger of infection". Concerning AIDS, the villagers firmly believe that it is somewhere far away but is of no threat to them personally. The adult population know next to nothing about the way the HIV is transmitted.
According to the researchers, the persisting traditional prejudice combined with the stream of information promoting the cult of sex, furthers the spread of venereal diseases and AIDS.