Introduction:

EmdAde AIDS is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation based in Vienna, Austria. Currently, the organization has nine members (five official and four honorary members).

The goal of EMDAdeAIDs is to provide accurate information on prevention of HIV/AIDS as well as on available treatment options to HIV positive people, health care providers and physicians, in Persian.

We provide information on medical, scientific and social aspect of HIV/AIDS without consideration of any religious, political and cultural beliefs.

About the Organisation:

Name: EmdAde AIDS – A non-profit organization, devoted to providing information on HIV/AIDS to the Persian speaking communities.

Founder and Executive Director: Mehdi Malek Mohammadi

Treasurer: Consuela Matei

Administration Manager: Irina Kareva

Address: Guglgasse 8/2/3/18 B, A-1110 Vienna, Austria-EU

Account: Verein EmdAde AIDS, Raiffeisenbank Niederösterreich
                       BLZ: 32000, KontoNr.: 7.837.370

Tel:: +43 (0)1 710 22 37 33

E-Mail: aids_ir@yahoo.com

Webseite: www.aids-ir.info

The Website www.aids-ir.info is the main work platform of the organisation.

Mission:

•  To increase the awareness of Persian- speaking communities about HIV/AIDS and providing an environment where people can freely discuss various aspects of this epidemic.

•  To increase HIV/AIDS awareness so that the sexual education programs would be accepted as an important measure to fight against the spread of HIV.

•   To encourage the practice of 'Safer Sex" through the use of condom as a sole mean to stop the spread of HIV infection.

•  To provide accurate information on various routes of HIV transmissions and to encourage people at high risk of infection to seek HIV testing and counseling.

•  To decrease discrimination and stigma against HIV positive people.

•   To provide accurate and timely information about available treatment options to HIV positive people, health care providers and physicians.

•  To encourage HIV positive people to participate in the society as an active member .

•   To provide information on prevention, treatment and care to friends and families of HIV positive people.

Vision:

•  To decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS in Persian-speaking communities by providing information on prevention and treatment of HIV.

•  To provide support to HIV positive people and decrease stigma and discrimination.

Problem:

After more than 20 years into HIV/AIDS pandemic, everyone has observed the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS worldwide, specifically in Africa, China, and India, where the lack of information and political will contributed to one of the largest human disasters. The rate of diffusion and spreading of HIV/AIDS is now a global problem that all countries, religions and cultural circles have to face with equal attention.

Persian-speaking communities are no exception. On the contrary, the rate of HIV/AIDS infections rises exponentially due to the lack of information on prevention and treatments. According to Center for Disease Control in Iran, the number of HIV infection has quadrupled in the last five years and now constitutes nearly 2000 new cases per year. In addition, propagation of false and inaccurate information on HIV/AIDS has led to an increase in stigma and discrimination against HIV positive people in these countries. The statistics indicates that most of the newly infected people live in developing countries.

AIDS is currently one of the five diseases with the highest death rate in the world. Experts predict that with time the situation will only grow worse and by 2010 AIDS will take the first place on that list.

Previous epidemiological and scientific studies demonstrated that providing information on the nature of the disease and its routes of transmission is a powerful prevention tool.

Solution:

Education, News, Online Consulations::

Knowledge is the key.

1. Providing timely and accurate information on the nature of the virus, its route of transmission and available treatment options are keys to decrease the rate of HIV infection


2. Providing information on HIV care and available treatment options
   to HIV positive people, their friends and families, health care
   providers and physicians, will help to increase the health of patients
   and knowledge of public. This is also an important component of HIV
   prevention program.

Emphasized Points:

•  Means of transmisison of HIV/AIDS and comprehensive methods of prevention.

•  Information and education about life with HIV.

Methods:

1.    Providing information through Internet.

2.    Anonymous counseling service provided by scientific and medical personnel.

3.    Organizing workshops and educational sessions.

4.    Providing information in the form of brochures containing general, as well as specialized information.

5.    Producing short movies and documentaries about various aspects of HIV/AIDS.

Main Target Groups of EmdAde AIDS:

1. Youth and teenagers.



2. Sexually active people.



3. Drug users, specifically intravenous drug users



4. HIV positive people, as well as AIDS patients



5. Persian speaking people, including those who live and study abroad



6. Health care providers, physicians and friends and families of HIV positive patients.

Disclaimer:

•  EmdAded AIDS website is solely designed as an informational tool. The content of the site is constantly reviewed and checked for its accuracy based on the latest scientific and medical advances.The content of this website is liable under the Austrian law.

•  Our organization do not perform any scientific and medical research on its own. Therefore the content of the site is based on already published scientific and medical articles. If you have a scientific proof that a content on this site is not accurate, please explain your concern accompanied by scientific and medical references via e-mail. After a comprehensive review by our medical and scientific team we will post your correction or new information.

•  Our online counseling service is intended as an additional source of information on HIV/AIDS. Decision about any medical treatment can only be made by your own physician..

References:

The following sites are used as the main sources of scientific and medical information (if we use other sources, we will list our references at the end of each article:

• UNAIDS
• PubMed
• CDC
• Aidshilfe Wien
• AVERT