HIV/AIDS epidemic threat facing Asia
Saturday, 6 December 2008
Mohammad Khairul Alam
ASIA faces the threat of HIV/AIDS epidemic, unless the governments in the continent go for prompt preventive measures. Though, in the early 1980s when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was becoming significant in the Western Hemisphere and Africa, only a few cases of HIV infection were reported in Asia.
The existence of risky behaviour, which fuels the rapid transmission of HIV, pose a threat to virtually all the countries of the Asian region. The region faces high risk of infection from unprotected sex, both heterosexual and homosexual, and needle-sharing among intravenous drug users (IDUs). The HIV/AIDS pandemic took a new turn in Asia in the 1990s. It is spreading faster in parts of Asia than in other regions of the world. Some have predicted that the HIV/AIDS epidemic could be much worse in this region in the twenty-first century.
Trafficking in young girls, children and women is a matter of great concern all over the world. In South Asia, cross-border trafficking, sourcing, transit to destination are big problems. Even more prevalent is the movement of persons within the countries for exploitation in various forms. There are no dependable statistics about the victims.
Trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation remains high in South Asia. Internal displacements due to conflicts in some of these countries, poverty and lack of employment opportunities, increase the vulnerabilities to being trafficked.
AIDS researcher Anirudha Alam said, "Trafficking and HIV/AIDS are interrelated. Especially women and girls are trafficked for use of sexual industry. Most of the trafficked girls face several physical and sexual abuses. When a girl or woman is enrolled by the sex industry, she tries hard to save herself, but without success."
Though there is no dependable data, South Asia is home to a large concentration of HIV infected people. Female sex workers (FSWs) - as a group - are an important driver of the epidemic. A recent survey of repatriated FSWs in Nepal, many of them victims of trafficking, face a higher risk of HIV infection. A joint survey by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation and 'Society for Humanitarian Assistance and Rights Protection' (SHARP) points out that almost 53 per cent of sex workers enter the profession before the age of 20, and 30 per cent enter between 20 to 25, mostly entangled by the traffickers.
The spread of HIV/AIDS in Asia is expected to accelerate if the governments fail to take prompt preventive action. Delaying action would cost a lot. In this regard, the Monitoring the AIDS Pandemic Study warned that the recent increase in HIV prevalence in specific locations in Asia should be regarded as a serious one. The epidemic could be more widespread.
It is also significant to recognise that HIV/AIDS cases are often underreported. Asia is lacking in comprehensive system of voluntary counseling with testing (VCT) services. However, the governments and some NGOs have developed some VCT centres in some of the countries. Though insufficient in number, the initiative is praiseworthy.
ASIA faces the threat of HIV/AIDS epidemic, unless the governments in the continent go for prompt preventive measures. Though, in the early 1980s when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was becoming significant in the Western Hemisphere and Africa, only a few cases of HIV infection were reported in Asia.
The existence of risky behaviour, which fuels the rapid transmission of HIV, pose a threat to virtually all the countries of the Asian region. The region faces high risk of infection from unprotected sex, both heterosexual and homosexual, and needle-sharing among intravenous drug users (IDUs). The HIV/AIDS pandemic took a new turn in Asia in the 1990s. It is spreading faster in parts of Asia than in other regions of the world. Some have predicted that the HIV/AIDS epidemic could be much worse in this region in the twenty-first century.
Trafficking in young girls, children and women is a matter of great concern all over the world. In South Asia, cross-border trafficking, sourcing, transit to destination are big problems. Even more prevalent is the movement of persons within the countries for exploitation in various forms. There are no dependable statistics about the victims.
Trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation remains high in South Asia. Internal displacements due to conflicts in some of these countries, poverty and lack of employment opportunities, increase the vulnerabilities to being trafficked.
AIDS researcher Anirudha Alam said, "Trafficking and HIV/AIDS are interrelated. Especially women and girls are trafficked for use of sexual industry. Most of the trafficked girls face several physical and sexual abuses. When a girl or woman is enrolled by the sex industry, she tries hard to save herself, but without success."
Though there is no dependable data, South Asia is home to a large concentration of HIV infected people. Female sex workers (FSWs) - as a group - are an important driver of the epidemic. A recent survey of repatriated FSWs in Nepal, many of them victims of trafficking, face a higher risk of HIV infection. A joint survey by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation and 'Society for Humanitarian Assistance and Rights Protection' (SHARP) points out that almost 53 per cent of sex workers enter the profession before the age of 20, and 30 per cent enter between 20 to 25, mostly entangled by the traffickers.
The spread of HIV/AIDS in Asia is expected to accelerate if the governments fail to take prompt preventive action. Delaying action would cost a lot. In this regard, the Monitoring the AIDS Pandemic Study warned that the recent increase in HIV prevalence in specific locations in Asia should be regarded as a serious one. The epidemic could be more widespread.
It is also significant to recognise that HIV/AIDS cases are often underreported. Asia is lacking in comprehensive system of voluntary counseling with testing (VCT) services. However, the governments and some NGOs have developed some VCT centres in some of the countries. Though insufficient in number, the initiative is praiseworthy.