A need for improved coordination of HIV efforts in Southeast Asia
13 Nov 2008
A rise in migration within South-East Asia, and the conditions under which some people move, could make millions more vulnerable to HIV infection.
A groundbreaking country-by-country assessment of HIV and migration among ASEAN countries reveals that despite their contributions to national economies, migrants have little or no right to legal or social protection and generally lack access to HIV/AIDS services and information.
HIV/AIDS and Mobility in South-East Asia, produced jointly by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations Regional Task Force on Mobility and HIV Vulnerability Reduction in South-East Asia and Southern Provinces of China (UNRTF), presents key findings and recommendations of a rapid assessment conducted on HIV and mobility issues in the ten ASEAN Member Countries in 2007-2008. It is the first such publication to include information on current migration patterns along with the HIV situation across the region.
“Migrant workers are a vital force to national economies in Southeast Asia, yet when it comes to protecting their rights and ensuring HIV prevention and treatment, they are often among the forgotten,” says Dr. Ajay Chhibber, UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
“This assessment provides information that will be useful for policy makers, health givers and clinicians in ensuring that migrant workers and mobile populations are provided with high-quality prevention and treatment services,” says Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN.
Although comprehensive data on HIV prevalence among migrants in Southeast Asia is unavailable, the report indicates that risk behaviour and HIV infection rates are in some cases considerably higher among migrants than in the general population.
In Thailand, where more comprehensive data exists, migrant fishermen showed HIV infection rates as high as 9%. In the Philippines, 35% of registered people living with HIV were returning migrants, as were 30% in Lao PDR.
Read More...
Source: UNDP
HIV/AIDS and Mobility in South-East Asia, produced jointly by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations Regional Task Force on Mobility and HIV Vulnerability Reduction in South-East Asia and Southern Provinces of China (UNRTF), presents key findings and recommendations of a rapid assessment conducted on HIV and mobility issues in the ten ASEAN Member Countries in 2007-2008. It is the first such publication to include information on current migration patterns along with the HIV situation across the region.
“Migrant workers are a vital force to national economies in Southeast Asia, yet when it comes to protecting their rights and ensuring HIV prevention and treatment, they are often among the forgotten,” says Dr. Ajay Chhibber, UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
“This assessment provides information that will be useful for policy makers, health givers and clinicians in ensuring that migrant workers and mobile populations are provided with high-quality prevention and treatment services,” says Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN.
Although comprehensive data on HIV prevalence among migrants in Southeast Asia is unavailable, the report indicates that risk behaviour and HIV infection rates are in some cases considerably higher among migrants than in the general population.
In Thailand, where more comprehensive data exists, migrant fishermen showed HIV infection rates as high as 9%. In the Philippines, 35% of registered people living with HIV were returning migrants, as were 30% in Lao PDR.
Read More...
Source: UNDP
