Commission on AIDS Releases Report on Asia
By Robert Valencia
AIDS is still the most likely cause of death and work days lost among fifteen to forty-four year-old residents in Asia, and nearly five million people are living with HIV with 440,000 people dying each year in that region, Dr. Chakravarthi Rangarajan, Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister of India, told reporters during a press conference at the UN Headquarters on 27 March 2008.
These findings were released in a report titled “Redefining AIDS in Asia: Crafting an Effective Response”, which focuses on eleven points that range from prevention, resources, societal factors, leadership and governance, to name a few. It was presented to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who praised the Commission on Aids in Asia on their investigations and called on Asian governments and civil societies to embrace the report in order to implement its recommendations. The Report highlights obstacles and opportunities in Asia to reach the goal of preventing HIV/AIDS. It identified the unique features of the Asian AIDS epidemic, defined a set of responses to fight the disease, examined the social and economic impact of the epidemic and outlined a policy and social environment that could support the responses.
“AIDS is an important issue in the realms of economic security, social welfare and equity, and overall development”, Dr. Rangarajan said in a statement. “We have learned through our deliberations that the AIDS epidemic in Asia is not the same as epidemics in other parts of the world. Its patterns and characteristics are distinct and unique to this region”.
Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), expressed his appreciation to the Commission’s effort to showcase a new perspective on the epidemic. “What is unique about this report is the fact that it’s very comprehensive, and it is seen from the lens of economists”, he said. “This report must be tailored to the Asian reality”. Dr. Piot added that prevention efforts are fundamental to develop universal access of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
Dr. Rangarajan outlined a series of investment priorities, such as HIV prevention among the most vulnerable groups, health insurance availability and social safety nets, access to health services and affordability of medicines through regional programmes, with community and peer support groups. He underscored that the response to AIDS is not about money, but people above all.
Among the speakers at the press conference was Frika Chia Iskandar, AIDS Activist and Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (APN+) Coordinator. She explained that the stigma generated by the epidemic must be reduced, and that “we all can be part of the solution if we do outreach on the use of condoms”. Ms. Iskandar also encouraged NGOs in Asia to take the Report to governmental bodies to halt AIDS. “Let’s not wait for a crisis to wreak havoc”, she added.
The Commission observed that if Asian leaders implement a priority programme right away, the number of people newly infected by 2020 will not surpass 3 million, and the death toll can be kept to less than 300,000 in 2020, saving the lives of more than 200,000 people each year. The Report indicates that by spending half a dollar to one dollar per capita, depending on the prevalence rate in the country, 80 per cent of the programmes on HIV can be achieved.
Finally, the report stressed the need to increase the involvement of communities and people living with HIV “from token involvement to full partnership”, as Dr. Piot stated. “It is simply an illusion to think that one can stop an epidemic without involving the people who are affected by the epidemic”, he added.
