Lanka, not in HIV danger list
By Nadira Gunatilleke
According to the latest statistics, Sri Lanka is not among the
South-East Asian countries that have high level of HIV prevalence. But
South-East Asia has the second highest number of HIV infected persons,
7.2 million followed by Sub-Sahara Africa, Regional Office for
South-East Asia, World Health Organisation (WHO) sources said.
Regional Office for South-East Asia, World Health Organisation (WHO)
released these data prior to a press field visit in Thailand and India
from November 24 to December 1 organised by WHO, South East Asian
Regional Office to mark the World AIDS Day falls on December 1 every
year. This year's World AIDS Day slogan is "Stop AIDS. Keep the
promise.'
According to the same sources, four countries, India, Indonesia,
Myanmar and Thailand account for the majority of the estimated HIV
burden. India has the highest burden with an estimated 5.2 million
(15-49 years) persons living with HIV/AIDS. In India HIV prevalence in
some settings is 52 percent among sex workers and similar high rates are
reported among injecting drug users in the North-East.
Indonesia is showing an alarming increase in HIV prevalence among
injecting drug users up to 50 percent in some sites in urban and rural
areas.
In Myanmar the HIV prevalence among injecting drug users and sex
workers remains high at 34 percent and 32 percent respectively.
In Thailand the HIV prevalence among injecting drug users has
remained at levels around 40 percent since the beginning of the
epidemic. |