400,000 Thais Have Hiv But Don't Know It

[george]

400,000 Thais have HIV but don't know it

Red Cross urges people to take blood tests

BANGKOK: -- The Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre has urged people to undergo a blood test for HIV after being warned over 400,000 Thais probably have the disease without knowing it.

"Hundreds of thousands of Thais who are infected with HIV, the virus that causes Aids, are unaware they are infected. This is the reason the virus is still spreading across country," the centre's director Dr Praphan Panuphak said.

He was speaking at a public hearing by the Medical Council on ways adolescents can get HIV counselling and testing services. Over 150 participants from health agencies attended the event at the Miracle Grand Convention Hotel in Bangkok.

An Aids expert explained that Acquired Immune DefiCiency Syndrome (Aids) was a set of symptoms and infections caused by damage to the immune system caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The condition progressively reduced the effectiveness of the immune system and left individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumours.

HIV is transmitted through direct contact between blood and a body fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-seminal fluid or breast milk. Transmission could involve anal, vaginal or oral sex, a blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, an exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above body fluids.

The first case of HIV/Aids was reported in Thailand in 1984 and the incidence of infections has increased steadily. To date 1,115,415 adults have been infected. Of this, some 585,830 people died of Aids while 532,522 adults are suffering from HIV or Aids. Some 12,787 adults and children have reportedly been infected so far this year.

The health agency estimated that about 6,800 people per day or five people per minute were infected with HIV all around the world. Of this total, 40 per cent are young adults aged 15-24 years old.

The World Health Organisation said last year that over 30.8 million people around the world had infected with HIV, while 2.1 million died during the past year. About 2.5 million new cases of HIV had been reported in 2007.

Praphan said the number of new HIV infections could be cut to 60 per cent of current levels if people tested themselves for HIV and got antiviral drugs early to fight their infection, before showing symptoms or signs of severe immune deficiency.

After working with HIV patients more than 20 years he would like to see HIV tests become a common practice in Thai society and for members of the public should drop the stigma about people with HIV and end compulsory HIV tests for employees and job applicants. However, all HIV test results must be kept confidential.

PATH organisation program adviser Dr Wachara Pumpradit said health agencies should provide HIV testing and counselling which was proper and friendly for teenagers so it is easy for them to access the treatment and prevention.

Kiratika Pangsad, from the Family Network Foundation, said parents should be apart of HIV prevention and provide proper knowledge and counselling to help their children avoid getting the deadly virus.

"We found that most parents lack understanding about the HIV infection and don't know how to tell their kids about safe sex. We want to encourage them to open their minds and learn more about sex education, as they can talk with their children [and warn them about the disease]," she said.

-- The Nation 2008-12-18

[londonthai]

The Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre has urged people to undergo a blood test for HIV after being warned over 400,000 Thais probably have the disease without knowing it.

who warned the red cross?

[mc2]

so the Thai red cross does free HIV testing ?

I thought it can only be done at special hospitals.

[londonthai]

red cross encourages to have a hospital test, and it's not free

[Heng]

A lot of people "donate" blood, which is free. Their real aim is to be tested without having to go in and ask for a test.

[macjai]

article is absolute nonsense...scaremongering to keep it on the radar

[Huey]

article is absolute nonsense...scaremongering to keep it on the radar

To what end?

[mc2]

A lot of people "donate" blood, which is free. Their real aim is to be tested without having to go in and ask for a test.

yes i suspected that.

2 people I know regulary donate blood every 3 months , I wonder if they are up to mischive on the side.

[yogi]

400,000 people,sounds too much.

actual figure must be much less.

[geriatrickid]

article is absolute nonsense...scaremongering to keep it on the radar

Really? And you know this because of your indepth knowledge of epidemiology or because you have field work experience in Thailand? I believe the numbers presented are a conservative estimate of the situation. The studies previously released and reported in the news clipping sections have highlighted the key at risk groups and regions. The pattern follows the historical growth cycle in Thailand, so it is not unexpected.

PATH organisation program adviser Dr Wachara Pumpradit said health agencies should provide HIV testing and counselling which was proper and friendly for teenagers so it is easy for them to access the treatment and prevention

The above is one of the key reasons why there is a problem. You may have missed it, but the sexworker prevention programs including mandatory testing fell by the wayside. If you are poor, rural and marginalized it is extremely difficult to access testing. That is precisely why there is a problem with the rural poor population segment.

The infectious disease units of the MoH have been sounding the alarm for over a year, but no one was listening because the numbers were not there. As each month passes we are seeing textbook logarithmic growth. The MoH doesn't need this crisis and they sure as hel_l have better things to do with their time. The worst part of this was that it was preventable.

[PeaceBlondie]

I have heard that the Red Cross health units in some Thai cities do provide cheap, confidential HIV testing.

[waveydavey]

The clinic on Loy Kroh Soi 3 in Chiang Mai will do a test for 2-300 baht approx.

Edited December 18, 2008 by waveydavey

[MILT]

article is absolute nonsense...scaremongering to keep it on the radar

To what end?

I agree to what end? I'd ask you do you know anyone with the HIV virus or AIDS? Because I do and have been paying the monthly costs for the medication to keep several good people from dying. It has never left the radar! Maybe try educating yourself or better yet go see the destruction that AIDS does to the body and how it effects family members. So to what end?

[Who, me ?]

article is absolute nonsense...scaremongering to keep it on the radar

This post in an absolute non sense !

Geriatrickid has got a very valid point in his reply

[mickba]

A lot of people "donate" blood, which is free. Their real aim is to be tested without having to go in and ask for a test.

Do you (or does anyone) happen to know:-

If the blood taken tested positive, would the donor be advised as such, or would the blood just be rejected?

Would a subsequent donation be declined, with or without giving the reason, or would it be accepted, tested and rejected again?

Without knowing the answers, I would be concerned that donors might be making incorrect assumptions.

[Scott]

People in high risk groups for HIV infection should not donate blood. There is a window of time between infection and testing positive and this could contaminate the blood supply.

I see no reason to not believe the stats. There are a lot of people not taking precautions here and a lot of people with multiple partners. In the past two months, I have had two close friends confide they have just tested positive. Both practiced safe sex--most of the time--and if they managed to contract the disease, it's likely to be fairly widespread as neither of them screws around a lot. Sadly one of them now faces the onerous task of explaining this to his newly pregnant wife. She had a terribly hard time getting pregnant and was so very, very happy. What should have been a joyous time for both of them will now be filled with anxiety and uncertainty. He is farang and she is Thai--and she wasn't positive when she started trying to get pregnant a year ago as she was tested at the time.

The other friend who tested positive; well, he wasn't too surprised. Statitistically, he saw this one coming.

[macjai]

My comment was not meant to upset anyone with personal experiences, for that I apologise.

There are millions of foreigners visit Thailand each year and have encounters with local working girls, there is a probability that a number of them do so without protection either by choice or by accident, yet the cases of contraction are spreading to other nations is extremely low. There are other nations, such as philipines, that have much worse safe sex practice than Thailand but have historically low levels of contraction. The chances of getting with heterosexual encounter is statistically very low.

For that reason, I have never quite understood some of the sweeping statistics that come out of Thailand. Nor in 10 years have I ever met anyone here that has the infection. For those that do, I have nothing but sympathy and good wishes but rightly or wrongly, I believe that statistics are often inflated to draw attention or funding or other motive.

[Crushdepth]

400,000 people,sounds too much.

actual figure must be much less.

Probably an underestimate. I met a Thai HIV researcher a couple of years ago, she said the infection rate in Thailand was slightly under 2% (I think she said 1.9%, so say around 1.2 million people infected).

[britmaveric]

I think the number is much lower. However that being said, whatever the number is, I think the idea is to practice safe shagging when possible. (use condoms ect)

[Farma]

macjai I think once you get out of the tourist areas you will find people less educated in prevention measures. I think this is where the figure of 400,000 possible infections may be coming from.

From what I’ve been told by people in the medical field upcountry the teenage infection rate is worrying.

[meom]

HIV is transmitted through direct contact between blood and a body fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-seminal fluid or breast milk. Transmission could involve anal, vaginal or oral sex, a blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, an exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above body fluids.

What's the deal with oral sex? Always thought it was one of the safest ways to cum but apparently not

[Heng]

A lot of people "donate" blood, which is free. Their real aim is to be tested without having to go in and ask for a test.

Do you (or does anyone) happen to know:-

If the blood taken tested positive, would the donor be advised as such, or would the blood just be rejected?

Would a subsequent donation be declined, with or without giving the reason, or would it be accepted, tested and rejected again?

Without knowing the answers, I would be concerned that donors might be making incorrect assumptions.

I'm told yes (by a nurse who volunteers... although that's just one person and not someone in Red Cross admin), they would be advised, although I have yet to know anyone was informed that their blood had been rejected.

[bonobo]

HIV is transmitted through direct contact between blood and a body fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-seminal fluid or breast milk. Transmission could involve anal, vaginal or oral sex, a blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, an exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above body fluids.

What's the deal with oral sex? Always thought it was one of the safest ways to cum but apparently not

Oral sex is statistically much, much safer than vaginal or anal sex. However, "much safer" does not mean 100 % safe.

[Felt 35]

Universal testing for HIV, followed by immediate treatment could cut the number of people developing full-blown Aids by up to 95%, a Lancet study says.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also found that such a strategy could virtually eliminate HIV transmission.

The study used computer modelling to project what would happen if everyone over 15 was tested every year.

But the WHO said that weak health care systems meant that universal testing was not a realistic idea.

At its best, the strategy would prevent morbidity and mortality for the population

Dr Geoffrey Garnett

Imperial College London

At first sight, the results of the WHO study are a clear argument for universal HIV testing - it could become a run-of-the-mill medical check like those for high blood pressure or cholesterol.

Diagnosis and immediate treatment with anti-retroviral drugs could, researchers say, reduce cases of Aids in a generalised epidemic from 20 in 1,000 people to just one in 1,000 within 10 years.

Furthermore, the study continues, the strategy could virtually eliminate HIV transmission and new infection.

At the moment HIV testing and treatment are patchy, and while around three million people are receiving anti-retrovirals, a further 6.7 million need them.

But the WHO, while welcoming the study, warns that the feasibility of universal testing is challenged by weak health systems.

It adds that giving treatment to patients who are not yet sick may increase drug resistance, while the side effects of taking Aids treatment drugs for very long periods are as yet unknown but could be severe.

Writing in a commentary piece in The Lancet, Dr Geoffrey Garnett, from Imperial College London, said: "At its best, the strategy would prevent morbidity and mortality for the population, both through better treatment of the individual and reduced spread of HIV.

"At its worst, the strategy will involve over-testing, over-treatment, side effects, resistance, and potentially reduced autonomy of the individual in their choices of care."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7749437.stm

[Scott]

I fail to understand how treatment would eliminate transmission.

[PeaceBlondie]

The clinic on Loy Kroh Soi 3 in Chiang Mai will do a test for 2-300 baht approx.

300 baht is cheap. For farang.

[slimdog]

I fail to understand how treatment would eliminate transmission.

hiv medication is designed to reduce dramatically the viral load (amount of virus) in the body, to the extent where it is to all intents, undetectable, this supression of the virus (By medication as well as the hiv antibodies the body has produced)helps the infected person to regain at least part of their immune system.

By reducing the amount of the virus in a person it also has the added benefit of making it less likely that the virus can be transmitted to others.

[dumball]

The clinic on Loy Kroh Soi 3 in Chiang Mai will do a test for 2-300 baht approx.

300 baht is cheap. For farang.

There is a clinic beside Lupini Tower that does testing for B300 , you wait 15 minutes or so for the results , took all of my live in ladies there for pre-nuptual testing . There is also a clinic off Gnam-Du-Plee that tests Thai for B100 , could have gone up a little by now .

[benjamat]

400,000 people,sounds too much.

actual figure must be much less.

Probably an underestimate. I met a Thai HIV researcher a couple of years ago, she said the infection rate in Thailand was slightly under 2% (I think she said 1.9%, so say around 1.2 million people infected).

You cannot use the total population of thailand as a base for statistics in this area.

It was said before that the main area of concern was in the age group 18 - 24, dont know how many thais fall into this group but it seems to me that the stats look dodgy anyway. However I dont think that it is bad to highlight these problems, just use good stats.

[waveydavey]

The clinic on Loy Kroh Soi 3 in Chiang Mai will do a test for 2-300 baht approx.

300 baht is cheap. For farang.

Yep, I thought so too. They also included a syphylis test into the bargain. Results only took about 20 minutes.