Thailand can stop thousands of needless deaths from HIV

[webfact]

Free, anonymous HIV testing 'will save thousands of needless deaths'
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND can stop thousands of needless deaths from HIV by 2022 by increasing the availability and use of free and anonymous testing and treatment of HIV infection among all at-risk groups, World Bank experts suggested.

There is an HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Bangkok, according to a new study "Scaling up HIV Treatment for MSM in Bangkok: What Does it Take?"

"Advancing efforts to end the global Aids epidemic by 2030 requires a combination approach to HIV prevention that includes biomedical, behaviour change and structural approaches," said David Wilson, director of the World Bank's Global HIV/Aids Programme. "With its quality medical infrastructure, Bangkok now has the opportunity to prevent more than 5,000 needless deaths, to halve new infections by 2022, and to serve as a model for other cities."

HIV intervention programmes in Thailand have effectively targeted female sex workers and their clients. However, the national response to HIV among MSM has been largely limited. As a consequence, the share of HIV-positive men in the MSM community has remained high and has been increasing. In metropolitan Bangkok, it is estimated to have increased from 21 per cent in 2000 to 28 per cent in 2012 among the 120,000 - 250,000 MSM in the city.

The new study recommends affordable public health strategies to halve HIV-related deaths and the rate of new infections by 2022. The study - produced by the World Bank in close cooperation with the Thai Red Cross, Ministry of Public Health, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and UNAIDS - urges greater use of the free and anonymous testing and treatment services currently available at public health clinics.

"HIV/Aids testing and treatment can save lives, maintaining people's health and preventing new infections," said Ulrich Zachau, World Bank country director for Southeast Asia. "With testing and treatment available for free at many public and community-based clinics, Thailand can slow, even stop, Bangkok's HIV epidemic, among men who have sex with men and other groups. The time to act is now."

The report finds that while there is limited use of HIV testing services among MSM in Bangkok, there are enough clinics and health personnel available to support testing and treatment for all MSM who need it. Only one-fifth of treatment-eligible MSM are receiving anti-retroviral treatment (ART) medicines, despite their availability free of charge.

It suggests that by utilising this spare capacity at existing facilities, about 43,000 more MSM could be tested for HIV and 5,100 could then receive ART services by 2022.

This would increase the percentage of MSM in Bangkok receiving ART from 20 per cent to 44 per cent by 2022, without increasing the current level of investment in HIV services. With additional investment of $55.3 million over the next decade, Bangkok could achieve universal treatment coverage within the same period by reaching additional 12,600 MSM with ART services.

The report cites examples of initiatives that have been used to successfully increase testing at public facilities, including creating a patient-friendly environment to encourage testing and follow-up; BMA's Gay BKK website promoting safe sex and HIV testing among MSM and its weekly night mobile clinics at Bangkok venues frequented by MSM; and convenient drop-in testing centres in major MSM hotspots in Bangkok.

The study was authored by researchers from the Kirby Institute of the University of New South Wales, the Thai Red Cross and the World Bank.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Free-anonymous-HIV-testing-will-save-thousands-of--30260663.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-22

[kalbo123]

How about making condoms cheaper, or give them for free, 90 Baht is simply too expensive for the a large group of Thais.

[mikiea]

How about making condoms cheaper, or give them for free, 90 Baht is simply too expensive for the a large group of Thais.

huh .... you could do that ..... do that on your own .....when you pay for other peoples sexual pleasure it speaks volumes about your lack of everything . oh... and 90 baht ? please google Sandra fluke ...... she is another tard that thinks like you .

[Shiver]

I'm not sure that testing is enough. If the 'MSM' is a commercial endeavour then perhaps people will lie (what? never).

Why don't they talk about a cure? There are many ways to halt progress of AIDS very cheaply, and apparently some actual cures too, without using pharmaceuticals. [waiting for the barrage of hate mail now].

[maidee]

what about education ?

teaching the people how you get it ?

is AIDS just like swine flu ? they "promised" use most of us would have a family member or even friend with aids, do you ?

if gays like the lifestyle and mix it up with many doses of antibiotics, that kill off any resistance to virii in their body, who is to blame ?

[Godders]

It has been calculated that the odds against becoming infected after having vaginal sexual intercourse with an HIV positive woman partner is over a thousand to one. The odds are substantially higher, of course, if one indulges in anal sex, as many homosexuals and bi-sexuals do habitually, or if one takes drugs and shares needles.

HIV tests vary around the world and, astonishingly, it is possible to be positive in one country which uses a particular test and negative in another which uses a different commercially-produced diagnostic kit.

There are still many distinguished scientists who are sceptical about the evidence that the so-called HIV virus (never properly isolated) is responsible for lowering the body's immunity to the range of illnesses classified as AIDS.

What one can say for sure is that the war on AIDS, rather like the more recent war on terror, has generated a multi-billion dollar global industry, employing countless thousands of people in the private and public sectors and making massive profits for commercial enterprises.

I have spent a great deal of time trying to make up my mind about the evidence presented by both sides of the HIV-AIDS debate, and yet I still find myself sitting uncomfortably on the fence in a number of important areas relating to the discussion.

The statistical evidence concerning the disease in Thailand looks impressive on paper.. But where is the on-thee-ground anecdotal evidence one would expect to find cropping up everywhere if the disease is as widespread and threatening as we are told.

In two decades of living here, I have known only three Thai people who have allegedly contracted the disease and subsequently died (though I have no idea what the autopsies, assuming any were held, showed to be the cause of death). One of these was a woman sex worker, one a trans-sexual and the other a man whose sexual preferences I do not know.

Over nearly two decades here, I have yet to come across a confirmed case of a falang resident or visitor catching HIV as a result of having vaginal sex with a Thai sex worker - despite, in many instances, a very high incidence of sexual activity over many years and not always using a condom. One stud in particular had unprotected sex with literally hundreds of sex workers and eventually summoned up the courage to ask his doctor for a test because he was convinced he must have the disease. He didn't.

This kind of evidence, of course, doesn't necessarily prove anything. It is possible that all these men stupidly "risking it" for so long was atypical and, have just been incredibly been lucky. Or could it just be that the danger to heterosexuals posed by the so-called AIDS epidemic being exaggerated by interested parties for political or commercial reasons?

Don't just flame me (as I am sure many will) for casting what I feel are legitimate doubts - give me some at least some anecdotal evidence - I have masses of the other stuff from just about every source you can think of - to help me become a little more. . .( I was going to say positive, but you know what I mean) one way or another.

[dirtycash]

It has been calculated that the odds against becoming infected after having vaginal sexual intercourse with an HIV positive woman partner is over a thousand to one. The odds are substantially higher, of course, if one indulges in anal sex, as many homosexuals and bi-sexuals do habitually, or if one takes drugs and shares needles.

HIV tests vary around the world and, astonishingly, it is possible to be positive in one country which uses a particular test and negative in another which uses a different commercially-produced diagnostic kit.

There are still many distinguished scientists who are sceptical about the evidence that the so-called HIV virus (never properly isolated) is responsible for lowering the body's immunity to the range of illnesses classified as AIDS.

What one can say for sure is that the war on AIDS, rather like the more recent war on terror, has generated a multi-billion dollar global industry, employing countless thousands of people in the private and public sectors and making massive profits for commercial enterprises.

I have spent a great deal of time trying to make up my mind about the evidence presented by both sides of the HIV-AIDS debate, and yet I still find myself sitting uncomfortably on the fence in a number of important areas relating to the discussion.

The statistical evidence concerning the disease in Thailand looks impressive on paper.. But where is the on-thee-ground anecdotal evidence one would expect to find cropping up everywhere if the disease is as widespread and threatening as we are told.

In two decades of living here, I have known only three Thai people who have allegedly contracted the disease and subsequently died (though I have no idea what the autopsies, assuming any were held, showed to be the cause of death). One of these was a woman sex worker, one a trans-sexual and the other a man whose sexual preferences I do not know.

Over nearly two decades here, I have yet to come across a confirmed case of a falang resident or visitor catching HIV as a result of having vaginal sex with a Thai sex worker - despite, in many instances, a very high incidence of sexual activity over many years and not always using a condom. One stud in particular had unprotected sex with literally hundreds of sex workers and eventually summoned up the courage to ask his doctor for a test because he was convinced he must have the disease. He didn't.

This kind of evidence, of course, doesn't necessarily prove anything. It is possible that all these men stupidly "risking it" for so long was atypical and, have just been incredibly been lucky. Or could it just be that the danger to heterosexuals posed by the so-called AIDS epidemic being exaggerated by interested parties for political or commercial reasons?

Don't just flame me (as I am sure many will) for casting what I feel are legitimate doubts - give me some at least some anecdotal evidence - I have masses of the other stuff from just about every source you can think of - to help me become a little more. . .( I was going to say positive, but you know what I mean) one way or another.

i too know a guy who has had sex with literally 1000,s of sex workers without condom and not caught hiv ( or so he says )

[Godders]

It has been calculated that the odds against becoming infected after having vaginal sexual intercourse with an HIV positive woman partner is over a thousand to one. The odds are substantially higher, of course, if one indulges in anal sex, as many homosexuals and bi-sexuals do habitually, or if one takes drugs and shares needles.

HIV tests vary around the world and, astonishingly, it is possible to be positive in one country which uses a particular test and negative in another which uses a different commercially-produced diagnostic kit.

There are still many distinguished scientists who are sceptical about the evidence that the so-called HIV virus (never properly isolated) is responsible for lowering the body's immunity to the range of illnesses classified as AIDS.

What one can say for sure is that the war on AIDS, rather like the more recent war on terror, has generated a multi-billion dollar global industry, employing countless thousands of people in the private and public sectors and making massive profits for commercial enterprises.

I have spent a great deal of time trying to make up my mind about the evidence presented by both sides of the HIV-AIDS debate, and yet I still find myself sitting uncomfortably on the fence in a number of important areas relating to the discussion.

The statistical evidence concerning the disease in Thailand looks impressive on paper.. But where is the on-thee-ground anecdotal evidence one would expect to find cropping up everywhere if the disease is as widespread and threatening as we are told.

In two decades of living here, I have known only three Thai people who have allegedly contracted the disease and subsequently died (though I have no idea what the autopsies, assuming any were held, showed to be the cause of death). One of these was a woman sex worker, one a trans-sexual and the other a man whose sexual preferences I do not know.

Over nearly two decades here, I have yet to come across a confirmed case of a falang resident or visitor catching HIV as a result of having vaginal sex with a Thai sex worker - despite, in many instances, a very high incidence of sexual activity over many years and not always using a condom. One stud in particular had unprotected sex with literally hundreds of sex workers and eventually summoned up the courage to ask his doctor for a test because he was convinced he must have the disease. He didn't.

This kind of evidence, of course, doesn't necessarily prove anything. It is possible that all these men stupidly "risking it" for so long was atypical and, have just been incredibly been lucky. Or could it just be that the danger to heterosexuals posed by the so-called AIDS epidemic being exaggerated by interested parties for political or commercial reasons?

Don't just flame me (as I am sure many will) for casting what I feel are legitimate doubts - give me some at least some anecdotal evidence - I have masses of the other stuff from just about every source you can think of - to help me become a little more. . .( I was going to say positive, but you know what I mean) one way or another.

i too know a guy who has had sex with literally 1000,s of sex workers without condom and not caught hiv ( or so he says )

Can't be the same guy, surely. Christian name starting with a G?

[noodle]

No person has ever died from having HIV.

Do some (non-govt funded) research if you disagree.

[Timnic]

It has been calculated that the odds against becoming infected after having vaginal sexual intercourse with an HIV positive woman partner is over a thousand to one. The odds are substantially higher, of course, if one indulges in anal sex, as many homosexuals and bi-sexuals do habitually, or if one takes drugs and shares needles.

HIV tests vary around the world and, astonishingly, it is possible to be positive in one country which uses a particular test and negative in another which uses a different commercially-produced diagnostic kit.

There are still many distinguished scientists who are sceptical about the evidence that the so-called HIV virus (never properly isolated) is responsible for lowering the body's immunity to the range of illnesses classified as AIDS.

What one can say for sure is that the war on AIDS, rather like the more recent war on terror, has generated a multi-billion dollar global industry, employing countless thousands of people in the private and public sectors and making massive profits for commercial enterprises.

I have spent a great deal of time trying to make up my mind about the evidence presented by both sides of the HIV-AIDS debate, and yet I still find myself sitting uncomfortably on the fence in a number of important areas relating to the discussion.

The statistical evidence concerning the disease in Thailand looks impressive on paper.. But where is the on-thee-ground anecdotal evidence one would expect to find cropping up everywhere if the disease is as widespread and threatening as we are told.

In two decades of living here, I have known only three Thai people who have allegedly contracted the disease and subsequently died (though I have no idea what the autopsies, assuming any were held, showed to be the cause of death). One of these was a woman sex worker, one a trans-sexual and the other a man whose sexual preferences I do not know.

Over nearly two decades here, I have yet to come across a confirmed case of a falang resident or visitor catching HIV as a result of having vaginal sex with a Thai sex worker - despite, in many instances, a very high incidence of sexual activity over many years and not always using a condom. One stud in particular had unprotected sex with literally hundreds of sex workers and eventually summoned up the courage to ask his doctor for a test because he was convinced he must have the disease. He didn't.

This kind of evidence, of course, doesn't necessarily prove anything. It is possible that all these men stupidly "risking it" for so long was atypical and, have just been incredibly been lucky. Or could it just be that the danger to heterosexuals posed by the so-called AIDS epidemic being exaggerated by interested parties for political or commercial reasons?

Don't just flame me (as I am sure many will) for casting what I feel are legitimate doubts - give me some at least some anecdotal evidence - I have masses of the other stuff from just about every source you can think of - to help me become a little more. . .( I was going to say positive, but you know what I mean) one way or another.

Nice to see there are some people who didn't swallow the pill, so to speak. The whole HIV thing is the biggest confidence trick ever played on humanity.

[rondii]

what about education ?

teaching the people how you get it ?

is AIDS just like swine flu ? they "promised" use most of us would have a family member or even friend with aids, do you ?

if gays like the lifestyle and mix it up with many doses of antibiotics, that kill off any resistance to virii in their body, who is to blame ?

If you even had half a brain you would know that antibiotics do not treat viral infections, and have no effect on resistance to viruses.

[EmptyHead]

It has been calculated that the odds against becoming infected after having vaginal sexual intercourse with an HIV positive woman partner is over a thousand to one. The odds are substantially higher, of course, if one indulges in anal sex, as many homosexuals and bi-sexuals do habitually, or if one takes drugs and shares needles.

HIV tests vary around the world and, astonishingly, it is possible to be positive in one country which uses a particular test and negative in another which uses a different commercially-produced diagnostic kit.

There are still many distinguished scientists who are sceptical about the evidence that the so-called HIV virus (never properly isolated) is responsible for lowering the body's immunity to the range of illnesses classified as AIDS.

What one can say for sure is that the war on AIDS, rather like the more recent war on terror, has generated a multi-billion dollar global industry, employing countless thousands of people in the private and public sectors and making massive profits for commercial enterprises.

I have spent a great deal of time trying to make up my mind about the evidence presented by both sides of the HIV-AIDS debate, and yet I still find myself sitting uncomfortably on the fence in a number of important areas relating to the discussion.

The statistical evidence concerning the disease in Thailand looks impressive on paper.. But where is the on-thee-ground anecdotal evidence one would expect to find cropping up everywhere if the disease is as widespread and threatening as we are told.

In two decades of living here, I have known only three Thai people who have allegedly contracted the disease and subsequently died (though I have no idea what the autopsies, assuming any were held, showed to be the cause of death). One of these was a woman sex worker, one a trans-sexual and the other a man whose sexual preferences I do not know.

Over nearly two decades here, I have yet to come across a confirmed case of a falang resident or visitor catching HIV as a result of having vaginal sex with a Thai sex worker - despite, in many instances, a very high incidence of sexual activity over many years and not always using a condom. One stud in particular had unprotected sex with literally hundreds of sex workers and eventually summoned up the courage to ask his doctor for a test because he was convinced he must have the disease. He didn't.

This kind of evidence, of course, doesn't necessarily prove anything. It is possible that all these men stupidly "risking it" for so long was atypical and, have just been incredibly been lucky. Or could it just be that the danger to heterosexuals posed by the so-called AIDS epidemic being exaggerated by interested parties for political or commercial reasons?

Don't just flame me (as I am sure many will) for casting what I feel are legitimate doubts - give me some at least some anecdotal evidence - I have masses of the other stuff from just about every source you can think of - to help me become a little more. . .( I was going to say positive, but you know what I mean) one way or another.

i too know a guy who has had sex with literally 1000,s of sex workers without condom and not caught hiv ( or so he says )

That is totally believable. The risk to the man from vaginal sex (one time) with positive woman is somewhere betweeen 1 in 1000 and 1 in 2000.

Straight guys usually get it from having sex with the same HIV+ woman over and over again.

It is significantly more dangerous for those people recieving it in the bottom, just 1 in 100 per time.

Edited May 23, 2015 by EmptyHead

[Shiver]

what about education ?

teaching the people how you get it ?

is AIDS just like swine flu ? they "promised" use most of us would have a family member or even friend with aids, do you ?

if gays like the lifestyle and mix it up with many doses of antibiotics, that kill off any resistance to virii in their body, who is to blame ?

If you even had half a brain you would know that antibiotics do not treat viral infections, and have no effect on resistance to viruses.

While what you are saying makes perfect sense (virus and bacteria not being the same), it could also be viewed as total load on the immune system. If measured that way, then lowering the task list for the immune system (eating clean so the immune system doesn't have to work so hard before letting nutrients into the body for example), or removing some bacterial load (I'm definitely not an antibiotics supporter, but have to concede that in some limited circumstances the damage they do is worth it on balance), then a body with a compromised immune system may show improvements with antibiotics even though it does nothing at all in terms of reducing the viral load.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Shiver

[Timnic]

"If you even had half a brain you would know that antibiotics do not treat viral infections, and have no effect on resistance to viruses."

Rondii

That is ill reasoned.

Of course antibiotics are only useful to combat bacterial infections.

However their major over use can produce serious suppression of the immune system. This would leave the person open to many kinds of infection and a reduced ability to defend them. In any case people who suffer from the syndrome described as AIDS die from all kinds of infections , including bacterial.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Timnic

[konying]

How about making condoms cheaper, or give them for free, 90 Baht is simply too expensive for the a large group of Thais.

90 baht??? Where do you shop? Super rich man shops?

50 baht in 7-11

[jspill]

It's 90 baht for large sized, which farang usually need...

[konying]

It's 90 baht for large sized, which farang usually need...

Lucky, OP is addressing locals

and if 90 is expansive for "farang" perhaps self relief would be better option

[fritzzz25]

You mean Thailand doesn't have the cure for HIV? They claimed to have had the cure for Ebola a few months ago.....

[otherstuff1957]

what about education ?

teaching the people how you get it ?

is AIDS just like swine flu ? they "promised" use most of us would have a family member or even friend with aids, do you ?

if gays like the lifestyle and mix it up with many doses of antibiotics, that kill off any resistance to virii in their body, who is to blame ?

I'm from the San Francisco Bay Area and yes, I do know a number of people who died of AIDS, mostly back in the '80s, but one more recently.

[BigBadGeordie]

You mean Thailand doesn't have the cure for HIV? They claimed to have had the cure for Ebola a few months ago.....

Perhaps they should consult with North Korea who have a 0% incidence of HIV, perhaps they have a vaccine?

[maidee]

in case some people need reading lessons:

i did not say i support antibiotics

gays might take it for their other infects that might get bumping into someone's shithole ....

most people believe the doctor when they are sick and they get antibiotics for the flu, cold

while it does not work

i knew some gays at work, and some were take AB just for their "acne" ...

it kills the immune system, good & bad bacteria = more prone to infection

if you know the lectures of DR. Tent .... his theory about this :: gays having sex, the anus can easely be breached = blood , wound, opening .... the friend shoots his PROTEIN sperm into his friend... that goes into the bloodstream of the receiver and this makes the immune system overreact and try to kill this invader

same as IV drug users, who share needles

theory or not, seems to make sense to me

now if a man, takes his wife or GF in the ass, and he has aids and she gets a wound overthere ... same same