|
"Report: HIV infections among Thai
wives rising"
The
Star (www.thestar.com.my)
(10/09/06)
BANGKOK: Married women now make up the largest group of new HIV infections
in Thailand, forcing health authorities to re-think prevention strategies.
Women engaging in unprotected sex with their infected husbands are behind
the steep increase, Dr Sombat Tanprasertsuk, director of the AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Bureau told the Bangkok Post
yesterday.
More than 30% of the estimated 17,000 new HIV cases last year were wives,
according to the Public Health Ministry, followed by men having sex with
other men at 20% and intravenous drug users, who made up 10% of new
infections.
The remainder were teenagers and those buying sex services.
Dr Sombat said the ministry was encouraging couples to have regular HIV
tests, and up to five million condoms would be distributed to husbands and
wives in a bid to control the rising infection rate.
Despite this alarming trend, Thailand has long been regarded as one of the
most successful nations in fighting HIV/AIDS.
The health ministry said in January that 1,478 people died from AIDS between
January and November in 2005, down from 6,593 for the same period in 2004.
The sharp drop in deaths was attributed to increasing access to
antiretroviral drugs, which are available to more than 90% of those in need.
— AFP
 Back to
News Page
|
