Growing political
instability, stigmatization of those infected and
conservative social attitudes are hampering the fight
against the spread of HIV in Asia, a top regional AIDS
official said Monday.
Nearly a
half-million people in Asia and the Pacific are infected
with HIV every year, and as many as 300,000 of those
infected die--more than the total killed in the
2004 tsunami, said Prasada Rao, UNAIDS regional
director.
''The harsh
reality is that the grim march of the epidemic in our region
continues unabated,'' he told the International Congress on
AIDS in Asia and the Pacific.
About 2,500
government officials, AIDS activists and health
professionals from around the region gathered in
Colombo, Sri Lanka, for the five-day conference.
An estimated 5.4
million people in the region are infected with HIV, the
virus that causes AIDS. While that number is far below the
infection rate in Africa, Asia's huge population has
led to concerns that an AIDS pandemic could erupt here
as well if strong action is not taken.
While India and
Thailand have been the focus of recent international
efforts, Rao expressed fears that China, Indonesia,
Pakistan, and Bangladesh could be the next
battlegrounds.
''These are large
countries and they have the potential of an epidemic to
take root, so they need a strong program,'' he said.
There has been
some success, Rao said, pointing to a major campaign in
India that help either stabilize or bring down the
HIV-infection rate in the worst affected regions.
But there are
also disturbing trends, including continued attacks by
opponents of condom use and sex education, he said.
''There is no
doubt anymore that condoms continue to be the only
effective prevention tool available for protection against
HIV, yet opposition to its promotion continues in many
countries,'' he said.
In India as many
as 11 state governments have banned or are banning sex
education in schools, and they are facing little opposition
from civic groups, he said.
''It's baffling,
really. Why should this happen?'' he told the Associated
Press.
A new wave of
conflicts in the region is also hampering prevention and
treatment efforts, he said. Two years ago, at the last
regional AIDS conference, only Nepal was mired in
significant conflict, he said. Now, eight more
countries have fallen into political instability and
conflict.
The war in
Afghanistan has also indirectly contributed to the spread of
the disease, he said. The increase in the cultivation of
poppies used to make heroin has helped fuel
intravenous drug use--the second leading cause
of the spread of HIV in the region, he said.
Others also
warned of potential pitfalls in the fight.
Nafis Sadik,
special U.N. envoy on HIV/AIDS in Asia, said many issues of
fear, stigmatization and ignorance are being ignored. (Ravi
Nessman, AP)