A predicted HIV epidemic has arrived in South East Asia and AIDS organisations are calling on the Australian Government to act.
The Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) has urged the government, in particular, AusAID to respond.
New figures from the 10th Asia Pacific AIDS Conference in South Korea revealed alarming rates of HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people living in the region. According to the AFAO, 70 per cent of new infections in the Philippines are MSM.
About one in five MSM in Dehli, India, are estimated to be living with HIV and almost one in four transgender people in Indonesia. In Bangkok, about 30 per cent of MSM are living with HIV.
AFAO Executive Director Rob Lake said the region was not prepared for these MSM infection rates.
‘All these statistics released at the conference need to be appreciated in the context of the infection rate in the general community for all of these countries being under 1 per cent,’ Lake said.
‘Our region is not prepared for these MSM infection rates.
‘We need a strong, targeted approach that reaches the most affected communities with effective education and support programs.
‘Australia needs to be a part of this.’
Benn Dorrington
***
