Thailand at heart of anti-Aids push

[webfact]

Thailand at heart of anti-Aids push
Wiraj Sripong
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A NEW REGIONAL initiative to curb HIV/Aids is in operation, with Thailand being positioned as its hub.

Housed at the Thai Red Cross-Aids Research Centre, the Inform Asia: USAID's Health Research Programme (Inform Asia) initiative promises to assist the Thai Red Cross in developing its research capacity in health and to become a regional knowledge-management hub.

This cooperation in research and development will run in a decentralised manner, with regional hospitals and public and private research institutes playing an active role.

Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre director Praphan Phanuphak said Asia Inform was based on the very familiar concept of "teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime".

He was speaking at the event held to launch Inform Asia on Wednesday.

Joining forces with USAID (the US Agency for International Development) and the Thai Red Cross-Aids Research Centre in launching the project are Research Triangle International and the President's Emergency Plan For Aids Relief. They hope to boost Asia's research capacity for HIV-Aids.

"This initiative is going to take every party on board, be it developed or developing nations," Praphan said.

Inform Asia aims to establish ties with specialised research institutes in Asia and worldwide to take part in the five-year project and to respond to an immediate need.

During the first three years, the initiative will focus on developing a rapid system for testing for HIV/Aids and its treatment.

Committees will be set up at regional and national levels to supervise local research institutes in setting priorities and conducting the project.

The scope of the project will eventually be expanded to cover infectious and non-infectious diseases. Currently, tuberculosis and malaria are on the top of the list.

According to Ravipa Vannakit of USAID's Development Assistance Specialist Office of Public Health, available data on tuberculosis and malaria is very fragmented, and there is an urgent need to tackle this.

"Our focus will be drawn on universities and research institutes in Thailand and Laos PDR as a start-up," said Michael Yates, USAID mission director. "Our next objective is to expand the scope of this project to Myanmar next year, and across the region later."

Inform Asia believes this research initiative will help Thailand and other countries in the region to utilise effective strategies and scientifically sound data in health policy.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thailand-at-heart-of-anti-Aids-push-30251993.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-16

[thesetat2013]

With provinces pushing people out who have aides from their community it is hard to believe they want to think Thailand as yet another hub for the opposite.

[HeijoshinCool]

I wonder if they rest of ASEAN know that Thailand is the hub of everything.

[jaltsc]

"A NEW REGIONAL initiative to curb HIV/Aids is in operation, with Thailand being positioned as its hub."

Hub??? That's the main cause of HIV in Thailand. As in: "Hubba Hubba, who needs condom?"

"Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre director Praphan Phanuphak said Asia Inform was based on the very familiar concept of 'teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime'.

What really needs to be taught is not how to fish, but how to abstain until they can engage in sex in a responsible way. Thai men know how to fish, except they don't use a hook. It's more like spear fishing and they don't care who (or what) they spear.

Edited January 16, 2015 by jaltsc

[oneday]

Does Thailand realize AIDS was first discovered in 1983. They are a little late to be getting on the band-wagon.

Now as far as this stupid headline goes, maybe "AIDS Research Push" or "AIDS Vaccine Push". At first I thought it was an article about people who were against people with AIDS being in their neighborhoods; reminiscent of recent stories of an AIDS hospice being run out of town because they were hurting property values.

[Lupatria]

The only push I read about lately is when they planned to push HIV patients out of a community because their real estate prices may drop with sick people in the hood tzzzzzzzz Welcome to the hub of heartless greedy people!

[noitom]

Thailand, the hub and heart. Thais are everything. They are so swell.

[Sviss Geez]

Does Thailand realize AIDS was first discovered in 1983. They are a little late to be getting on the band-wagon.

Now as far as this stupid headline goes, maybe "AIDS Research Push" or "AIDS Vaccine Push". At first I thought it was an article about people who were against people with AIDS being in their neighborhoods; reminiscent of recent stories of an AIDS hospice being run out of town because they were hurting property values.

As this is a US initiative from USAID, a US government agency, perhaps you should be addressing your cynicism to the US.

[Sviss Geez]

Thailand, the hub and heart. Thais are everything. They are so swell.

Backed by the US in this case, aren't they swell?

[alex8912]

Yes. Helping out as usual...again

[Nemesis7]

In the name of business it's a pleasure underneath ...hub ..hub.. Hub of bloody everything here in Thailand .

People and big bosses are looking for any excuse to be here in Thailand thus making hubs....lol

[DM07]

"...anti AIDS-push", does not mean, you push people with AIDS out...of your community, out of a shop, out of a hotel...

[rickirs]

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Does Thailand realize AIDS was first discovered in 1983. They are a little late to be getting on the band-wagon.

Now as far as this stupid headline goes, maybe "AIDS Research Push" or "AIDS Vaccine Push". At first I thought it was an article about people who were against people with AIDS being in their neighborhoods; reminiscent of recent stories of an AIDS hospice being run out of town because they were hurting property values.

As this is a US initiative from USAID, a US government agency, perhaps you should be addressing your cynicism to the US.

Or give the USA credit for treating AIDS and not Thailand. What would Thailand do without US funds for AIDS treatment, promote its ebola vaccine instead?

[Lupatria]

"...anti AIDS-push", does not mean, you push people with AIDS out...of your community, out of a shop, out of a hotel...

Yes, but then its called "...Thainess anti AIDS-Patients push "

[maidee]

maybe they can start with condoms in hischools, kids will be experimenting whatever you tell them no to do ...

sex education , but thais fear this will stimulate the kids into intercourse, so they prefer to tell them nothing about condoms !