Thai Health Ministry Launches Ambitious Anti-Aids Programme

[webfact]

Ministry launches ambitious anti-Aids programme

By The Nation

The Public Health Ministry and its allies are implementing many measures to achieve the goals of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero Aidsrelated deaths.

"For example, we have provided 16 to 30 hours of sex education to students each year. We have also provided friendly services to people in at risk groups including sex workers and homosexual men," Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said yesterday.

The three targets are in line with the guidelines set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids.

Aids patients are now receiving medical treatment at an earlier stage to make it easier to maintain their health. Antiretroviral drugs used to be prescribed only after the CD4 cell count dropped below 200, but now the threshold is 350.

Everyone and their families can get free tests for the human immunodeficiency virus twice a year under the universal healthcare, socialsecurity and civilservice medicalcare schemes.

The National Health Security Office's budget for free Aids treatment has been boosted to Bt2.99 billion this year from Bt2.7 billion last year.

"We have also provided free treatment to alien workers suffering from Aids," he said.

"To ensure zero discrimination, we don't allow employers to subject their employees to HIV blood tests before recruitment."

About 1.16 million people were estimated to be HIVpositive last year, of whom 644,000 have died.

The country sees about 10,850 new HIV infections each year, 33 per cent of which are in sexually active homosexual men and 28 per cent in housewives contracting the virus from their husbands or regular sex partners.

Men contracting HIV from spouses accounted for about 10 per cent of the new infections, while men contracting the virus from sex workers also accounted for 10 per cent. Of the new infections, 9 per cent were found in people who injected drugs and 7 per cent in those engaging in casual sex. Sex workers - mostly 1549 years old - who were infected by male customers were 4 per cent.

The ministry will host a national conference on Aids from March 2931 at Impact Muang Thong Thani with the aim to help prevent the spread of HIV and build public awareness of Aids patients' rights. Some 3,500 people have registered to attend.

-- The Nation 2011-03-24

[khaowong1]

Has anyone mentioned the "abstention" method? Usually works fairly well.

[exbelg]

another early 1st of april joke ? crackdown on the sex industry might help ?

so many died from aids last year ? there is medicine and those poor get it for free, and some government workers are apparently getting rich in sceeming the social security by pretending to be sick and selling expensive medicine on the black market for 30.000 baht per person per month, right ?

and the post "Sex workers - mostly 1549 years old "

I did not know the sex workers here were mummies

what is wrong with post last couple of weeks, cannot copy paste correctly or copy paste a "-" where needed ?

Edited March 24, 2011 by exbelg

[DoctorG]

Once again, they set their ambitions too high.

Why shoot for an impossible ZERO outcome?

If you set practical targets you ensure better outcomes.

If your programs are working, then you can aim higher next time.

[Bagwan]

I have been told by a doctor in the forefront of HIV infection treatment here that there are onl;y about 12 doctors in Thailand who truly understand HIV testing and treatment. I understand that they meet at regular intervals to exchange experience and expertise. One doctor at a major private hospital, who is not of that number, advised my wife to discontinue treatment since her CD4 count was towards the upper end of the acceptable scale! The blind leading the blind comes to mind.

One Pattaya hospital some six years ago was charging 2800 baht for 28 days medication that they bought in for 1200 baht. A BKK private hospital was charging 5400 baht for treatments for 28 days two years ago when shopping around found a source for a 6 month supply at 8200 baht. So profiteering from unfortunates certainly occurs.

Regular checking on liver and kidney function is necessary since the powerful antivirals can interfere with their function and treatments have to be varied from time to time, so not only the costs of medication have to be taken into account. The ordinary Joe has no chance of fighting the infection because either the medical expertise is not available at Government hospitals and/or the health scheme cannot afford to offer appropriate treatment even if the doctor knew what he was doing. Reality is to stay alive you need money and know where to go.

This announcement by the Government belongs in hairy fairy land.

[elshaheen]

Anyone considered putting a box of condoms at their schools or make them available to their students.

[HerbalEd]

Has anyone mentioned the "abstention" method? Usually works fairly well.

On an individual basis it works 100%, but as public health policy it fails miserably.