Prevention, the solution to a worldwide AIDS epidemic

70,000 years ago, humans nearly became extinct because of a sudden change in climate. Now, humans are once again in danger of going extinct if the AIDS epidemic is not contained, this is according to an independent report presented to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon last March. The report is titled “Redifining AIDS in Asia – Crafting an effective response.”

The report commissioned by the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) was launched in the Philippines late April 2008 with Cebu 6th District Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz facilitating the event. The Philippine launch was the first among the Asian countries due to the country’s serious response on this global problem.

According to the report, by 2020, the number of infections will double reaching 10 million if prevention efforts will not be implemented. At present, over 5 million people are infected with HIV in Asia, with 440,000 people dying every year. The death toll is expected to rise to 500,000 if measures will not be taken to contain the spread of the virus.

The report however recognized that the epidemic may not cause a significant impact on the country’s economy, considering that most of the AIDS sufferers come from the high-income segment of the population. However, the report also noted that the impact of the disease is on the household level, making women and householders the first to feel the grunt of its effects.

The report revealed that by 2015, an additional 6 million households will slip into poverty considering that one death caused by AIDS would estimate a loss of US$5,000.

“Despite a declining trend of new HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) infections in a few countries, AIDS still accounts for more deaths annually among 15 to 44- year-olds than do tuberculosis and other diseases,” it revealed.

Because of this, the report outlined solutions on preventing the spread and the treatment of the disease.

The report showed that because of the stigma placed on groups prone to AIDS, most of those who are infected of the disease no longer opt for treatment. The report recommends that education on sexual health, sexual responsibility and gender sensitivity should be done. Women should also be empowered by developing their negotiating and life skills, especially in countries and cultures where women are unable to insist on condom use.

Other measures include condom use; accessibility of the treatment to at least 80 percent of the target population (AIDS victims); family planning; good nutrition; social, spiritual, psychological and peer support; and respect for human rights among others.

UNAIDS executive director Peter Piot bared that presently only 20 percent of the resources needed to address the problem are available. Last year, an estimated 1.2 billion dollars was available for the AIDS program in Asia. This is dwarfed compared to the 6.4 billion dollars that is needed “for an effective response.”

The study urged governments to set aside at least 0.30 percent per capita annually to be spent on prevention for the program to really make an impact on the problem. This, the report said, could reduce infections by 60 percent in Asia.

Currently, there are more than 33 million people around the world who suffer from this somewhat incurable illness, according to UNAIDS. Southeast Asia recorded the highest prevalence of HIV or AIDS, with Indonesia having the fastest rate of increase in the number of HIV-infected individuals.