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HANOI: HIV-AIDS is one of the most major health problem confronting
migrant workers all over the world, particularly seafarers. Asean,
meanwhile, has emerged as a key destination for overseas
Filipino workers (OFWs).
The United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS
and the World Health Organization had estimated that 4.9 million
people were living with HIV in Asia in 2007. The figure included
440,000 people who became infected with the disease in the year.
Recently, officials from the 10 members of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) met in Laos to
discuss ways to combat the rising incidence of HIV/AIDS in the
region and encourage greater involvement and empowerment of people
living with HIV.
In one session, Lao Deputy Minister of Public
Health Bounkouang Phichit said that the increasing prevalence of
HIV/AIDS had placed a substantial burden on regional health care
systems and national budgets, especially in low-income countries.
According to Laos’ National Committee for the
Control of AIDS, there were 2,630 recorded cases of sexually
transmitted diseases in the country between 1990 and 2007, including
1,600 HIV infections. More than 800 people are known to have died of
AIDS in Laos.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Laos
Sonam Yangchen Rana said that the meeting would contribute to
addressing the needs and concerns of people living with HIV and
strengthen their participation in the planning and implementation of
Asean’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.
She said over the past few years, the region had
witnessed a growing number of networks of people living with HIV.
The networks provide a space for people to gather and share their
concerns, offer services to their peers and families and give a
collective platform for those living with HIV to voice their
feelings.
The Asean consists of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei
and Vietnam. Of these countries, many OFWs can be found in Malaysia,
Singapore, Thailand and Brunei.
-- Xinhua
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