Thailand records more than one new HIV case every hour

Soi Cowboy, Bangkok. Part of Thailand's notorious sex industry

Widely known as the sex tourism capital of the world, Thailand appears to be losing the battle against the spread of HIV with fresh statistics showing more than one new infection every hour and more than 8,700 new HIV positive infections annually.

The alarming figure, which primarily includes only Thai citizens and few of the 15 million foreign tourists who visit the country annually, show that education programs regarding safe sex practices in the Southeast Asia nation are failing to halt the spread of the disease, despite the country having received almost $US235 million in Global Fund grants since 2003.

The figures also raise questions over the success of the Thailand government HIV treatment program, with little more than half of Thailand’s 530,000 recorded HIV afflicted availing themselves of almost free treatment.

While Thailand Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong said the low number of HIV positive Thais receiving treatment through the government-run program was due to “ignorance of their condition”, HIV and sexual health outreach workers say the major reason is the the loss of anonymity that comes from enrolling in the programs and fear family, friends or employers will find out about the persons HIV status.

The figures were released yesterday as part of a call by Thailand’s Disease Control Department (DCD) urging parents of teenage school children to consider giving their children two condoms a day to fight rising teen pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Director-general of Thailand’s Disease Control Department, Dr Pornthep Siriwanarangsan, said a new survey had shown that 20 percent of Mathayom 2 students, typically aged about 13 or 14, 40 percent of Mathayom 5 students, typically 16 to 17-year-olds, and up to 60 percent of vocational (trade school) students were sexually active.

The high level of sexual activity and lack of education regarding the spread of STDs and pregnancy amongst Thailand teens is reflected in health department figures, he said, with 42 percent of people testing positive for a STD aged under 20 and about 80 percent of females in this group pregnant.

Dr Pornthep said parents should either buy condoms for their teenage children or obtain them from health offices, saying the Thailand government purchases 60 million condoms a year for distribution.

In attempt to improve the level of undiagnosed HIV in the Thai community the Thailand Red Cross Society said it would set up free HIV screening centres at five Bangkok shopping malls to mark World AIDS day where people can be tested free for the virus.

Secretary-general of Thailand Red Cross, Phaen Wannamethee, said people will be able to stop at the testing centres while shopping and receive the results of their  test about one hour later.

“Early detection enables early treatment and early treatment is paramount in keeping the virus under control and reducing its effects”, Mr Phaen said.

 

Source: The Nation: Disease Control Dept to encourage teens to carry condoms

Related: Global Fund to freeze HIV, TB, Malaria grants for two years

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The Global Fund • HIV infection • HIV transmission • instant HIV test kit • HIV cases • HIV in Thailand • STDs in Thailand • teen pregnancy •  Ministry of Public Health • Thailand government • Thai girls • safe sex  • Thai teens • Instant HIV test kits
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John Le Fevre

Editor at Photo-journ.com
John Le Fevre is an Australian national with more than 30 years' experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer and copy editor. He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia and previously held senior editorial staff positions with various Southeast Asia English language publications and international news agencies. He has covered major world events including the 1991 pillage riots in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, the 2009 Songkran riots in Bangkok, and the 2010 ant-government Bangkok protests. In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.

Comments

Thailand records more than one new HIV case every hour — 2 Comments

  1. So where did the money go? The problem is all the dirty sex tourists visiting Thailand – old, obese, hairless and hopeless and all wanting sex without a condom. I feel sorry for the Thai girls who are undereducated and impoverished. I’m told that the girls are easily picked up in the bars and will go with a john for as little as $20 and that a extra $10 will guarantee no condom. The Thai government should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen.

    And all those young girls getting STDs and pregnant. Disgraceful. Thanks for publishing this.

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