Thailand AIDS rate up 17%

[george]

Thailand AIDS Rate Up 17%

by Peter Hacker Newscenter Asia Bureau Chief |  

BANGKOK: Despite warnings that Asia is on the verge of an AIDS catastrophe few governments in the region are prepared to cope with the impending crisis.

In Thailand, where the government hosted the Asian Economic Summit, leaders from the Pacific rim countries were each given Thai silk jackets costing more than than the average citizen makes in a year. Yet, the country spends little on HIV/AIDS education, and almost none of it going to target gay men.

Until 1997, every ministry had a budget for HIV control work and there was a multi-pronged effort to curb the epidemic.

But since then, HIV budgets for individual ministries have been discontinued and the Health Ministry has been left carrying the major part of the burden of HIV control.

A new study released by the US Centers for Disease Control shows just how disastrous the spending cuts have been.

The CDC says the incidence of HIV among gay men has risen sharply from 4 per cent 10 years ago, when the kingdom was actively involved in AIDS prevention, to 17 per cent today. The world average for infection among gays is between 4 and 5 percent the agency said.

The results of the study were discounted by the Thai government as "skewed". The government said the CDC only looked at sexually active gays and "not the entire gay community".

But, the UN believes the numbers to be accurate.

Swarup Sarkar, the UN's inter-country adviser on the Asia-Pacific, said that the high incidence of infection among gays in the study group showed how aggressive the virus was in rebounding.

"High-risk or not, if a certain population has a high percentage, it is a danger sign."

--365Gay.com

[Guest IT Manager]

It's sad that this figure reaches right out to the countryside. Last week we had another boy, about 25, diagnosed late, with HIV. Actually he is full-blown but they can't afford the tests.

He can get GPOvir from the hospital for nothing, which is good, under the 30 baht scheme, but he won't be around long in my opinion.

The last infection we had was almost 2 years ago. He lasted 7 months from diagnosis to pyre.

The scary thing is, with earlier diagnosis, he wouldn't have had a problem lasting 7 to 10 or more years. Change the attitude adn the way people act and all sorts of things are possible.

One thing I am very proud of, since I know I was the reason it occured, is that people don't ignore or turn their faces away from people with HIV in my village. That is a big step forward.

[tomy]

All you horny people out there in Thailand, guy with dik-trigger and girl with pussie rub-ber, be affraid very affraid.

don't say that i didn't warn you      

[chonabot]

Tomy u sound like a c*nt

[Edward B]

How cun u say that?

[Guest IT Manager]

I have thought that since the first time he posted, but what would I know? I've only lived here 8 years.

[tomy]

you hurt my feeling guys, the last time i check i still got a chilly-pepper

[chonabot]

In that case , a prik-kee-noo I presume?

[Kan Win]

Tomy u sound like a c*nt

My think they are useful - is Tomy

[Guest IT Manager]

you hurt my feeling guys, the last time i check i still got a chilly-pepper

And a cold sort of chilli it is too from what they said in Pat Pong Road

[francois]

SAD SAD SAD

health requires money that is used somewhere else for things that most of the time could wait or are even useless, or just useful for the politician to get a "good name" ... <you see, I did this!> ...

life is cheap, so cheap ...

but more than this, what are the major pharma companies waiting for to deliver all

the formulas of aids medecine to the public, so everycountry could make their own?

business, business ...

[Guest IT Manager]

SAD SAD SAD

health requires money that is used somewhere else for things that most of the time could wait or are even useless, or just useful for the politician to get a "good name" ... <you see, I did this!> ...

life is cheap, so cheap ...

but more than this, what are the major pharma companies waiting for to deliver all

the formulas of aids medecine to the public, so everycountry could make their own?

business, business ...

I have no idea of the pharmacy protocols used by the multi-nationals. I do know that World Health has asked Thailand to make GPOvir available for export.

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation has produced what the big pharmas' won't. The triple cocktail in one, twice a day, tablet. After 6 years, my son is doing very well thanks to GPOvir at 1,350 baht per month. This after 38,000 baht per month for 5 years.

Give credit, as we give thanks.

[francois]

Give credit, as we give thanks.

a word of thanks and a word of praise for those who move and show effective results, as we know some.

but shame on those who make fortunes on medications

you know who I talk about, these are not single actors, gov, ngo project ...

those who spent surely millions in research to find a product that they are obliged

to sell at a quite high price regarding to high investment.

a word of excuse for them ... nobody help them a lot ...

it's mostly in the private sector, and no governement would help a private company, what for?

who do I blame?

nobody in particular, all of those who have the power to make things moving, and who don't!

aids patient are raising in numbers in almost every country, except some luckier than others, what is it happening?

[TizMe]

It seems that many of the forum members indulge in Bar Girl Snooker, are there any reliable statistics about what percentage of these BGs are HIV positive?

[Guest IT Manager]

I am unsure where that info came from, but it certainy wasn't study.

Most barflies are too out of it to post here. There are postings around quoting over 20% infection rates among the working people. That scares the shit out of me. If barflies get the bug, too, that is very bad, becaue at least they have access to education, which is not always the case for sex workers, though it seems to be improving.

Our GP treats about 20 foreigners. Don't know or care who, not sure how or why they got it, but I doubt they would submit to an interview about it.

Maybe one day this will change but doubt I will see it in the next 40 years.