“We will face massive cost cuts, some of the programs will have to be closed”

The management of the AIDS.Center will have to cut costs for programs, including free testing of people for hepatitis and syphilis. The reason is the refusal of the authorities to provide the organization with two grants. Several of its branches in the Russian regions were at risk of closure. Sergei Abdurakhmanov, director of the AIDS.Center Foundation, told The Insider that the organization lost 14 million rubles.

The fact that the organization is experiencing financial problems became known on December 8 – the corresponding publication appeared on the Foundation’s website. Five days later, the situation worsened, as the list of winners in the competition for state grants from AIDS.Center was not included. On December 9, the chairman of the Council of the Fund and its founder, Anton Krasovsky, announced that he would resign, since, in his opinion, grants were not received because of him. However, the Council of the Foundation did not agree that the blame for the problems of financing AIDS.Center lies with him.

According to Abdurakhmanov, the reasons for the refusal to provide grants are unknown, the results of the competition were not explained in any way.

“Today we are implementing a strategy that will allow us to maintain the basic programs of the fund (such as HIV testing and support groups), which includes massive cost cuts,” says Abdurakhmanov. “Of course, some of the programs will also be cut, but we will try not to close them, but to optimize and squeeze them (in particular, we plan to stop purchasing tests for hepatitis and syphilis and leave only HIV).”

He noted that the further fate of the Fund will depend on sponsors.

“As for the search for further funding, we naturally launched this process, but it still takes time. One way or another, the scale of reductions and forty work in a crisis format today directly depends on our sponsors and private donors. Therefore, we ask all our supporters make a donation, or better, subscribe to a regular payment. Let it be minimal, but monthly, it will help us plan the projects of the Fund, calculate the strength and capabilities. “

According to the Center, if the situation does not change, the Foundation’s spaces in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod, where support groups, testing and consultations take place, will be at risk of closure.