Burma can become the biggest AIDS E

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"So much more has to be done. Otherwise Burma will become the biggest
AIDS Epidemic in the whole Asia," warns UNAIDS Director
Dr. Peter Piot

New Delhi, March 10, 2000

At the end of 1999, estimated 6.5 million people are living with HIV
virus in Asia and over five times as many as have already died of AIDS.
The region contained about 20% of the world's estimated HIV infections
and Cambodia is recorded as Asia's highest levels of infection. Burma,
one of the world's largest producers of opium, is closed to Cambodia in
the spread of HIV infections though recent and accurate data are not
available. The United Nations reports say that over 60% of teenage drug
injectors are infected with HIV in Burma. What is being done at present
both by the government and non-governmental organizations in Burma is
not enough. Much more needs to be done to halt the AIDS epidemic in
Burma. Otherwise, Burma will become the biggest AIDS epidemic in the
whole of Asia.

SOE MYINT, Delhi-based reporter of VOA (Burmese Service) recently has an
exclusive interview with Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of Joint
United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on the alarming situation
of AIDS epidemic in Burma and why it is a serious concern for everybody
including Burmese government and the United Nations.

(Dr. Peter Piot who is also Assistant Secretary-General of the United
Nations formally launched the 2000 World AIDS Campaign, entitled "Men
Make A Difference" in New Delhi on 6 March.)

Excerpts from the interview:

Q. What is the HIV/AIDS situation in Burma?

A. The problem at the moment is to have accurate information on the AIDS
epidemic in Myanmar. There are data that have been collected by the
government but they are quite patchy. We believe that HIV/AIDS has
become a major problem in Myanmar. And that is very important because
AIDS does not know any border. It doesn't respect visa or passport. And
therefore if the whole region is trying to vigorously combat AIDS, but
one country is not doing enough or one country is having a major
problem, then that means that there is a problem for everywhere and for
everyone. That's why important that we support AIDS activities in
Myanmar as much as in any other countries in the region.

Q. When we look at the official responses and statements of the Burmese
government, it seems that government does not recognize HIV/AIDS
epidemic in Burma as a national problem?

A. There is a national AIDS programme in Myanmar and there are many NGOs
active on AIDS and for me, tackling the AIDS epidemic in Myanmar is not
only a top priority for the country itself but also for all countries in
the region because AIDS dose not know any borders. That means that if
there is rampant epidemic in Myanmar, that will have implications for
all the neighboring countries. And so, we are working at the same time
with the government but also with non-governmental organizations and the
reason for that is that we have to consider AIDS as a humanitarian cause
which should not be hampered by any political dispute which I know is
certainly real when it comes to Myanmar. And because this is a global
issue and therefore the United Nations system is indeed active on that
because we believe that this is one of THE most important issue for the
future of Asia including for South East Asia.

Q. What are your specific programmes being implemented in Burma?

A. We have got to invest in education programmes for young people and
also give them discourse to engage in safer sexual behavior. We have got
to promote condoms and the life skills. Thailand, for example, has been
very successful with its 100% condom promotion and policy. We have got
to make sure that people don't shoot drugs and those who shoot drugs
that they don't share needles. So, as the matter of education and of
programmes to provide clean needles. And we have got to make sure also
that people know whether they are infected or not so that they have
access to testing and counseling without being discriminated and without
being rejected from society. ?

Because with so many people infected today with HIV. Hundreds and
hundreds of thousands in all countries. That means that nearly every
family has someone who is HIV-positive and they can lead their quiet
life that is quite long and they should be treated as our brothers and
sisters. ?

Q. Are there any specific reasons behind Burma's explosive AIDS
situation? Burma is closed to Cambodia (which has highest levels of
HIV-infections in Asia) in AIDS epidemic in Asia.

A. In general, one can say that this AIDS epidemic is driven not only of
course by sexual behavior but also by migration of population. That can
be for economic reasons, be it women is often in sex work with men is
looking for work in bigger cities or in more wealthy cities. Going to
Bangkok for example....

We also have poverty, which is driven men and women into prostitution,
into migration and of course what happens in terms of AIDS depends on
how society reacts?.

Q. A few years back, there were some media reports that Burmese
government did not give proper treatment to the AIDS patients who were
sent back from Thailand and some of them were even killed by injection
by the authorities. What is your comment?

A. We are not aware of any killings because of HIV infection in Burma.
But what I can say is that people with HIV should not be discriminated.
That they should not be rejected by society. Often what happens is that
society kills people with HIV before the virus kills them. And this, of
course, respecting people with HIV being compassionate is not only a
matter of fair treatment for these people but also when there is
discrimination and rejection of people with HIV, this will make
prevention campaigns very difficult?.

Q. As you know, Burma produce thousands and thousands of migrants for
its neighboring countries. Many of them are infected with HIV in these
countries. And one of the ways HIV spread is through cross-border
migrants and refugees.

A. Yes, we have actually a meeting here organized by UNAIDS in Delhi to
address the cross border issues, how can we collaborate among the
different countries in South Asia. Among other things, (this is) to make
sure that migrant population who comes from another country that they
have prevention materials access to prevention materials in their
language respecting their culture because often migrant population are
at far higher risk for acquiring HIV because they are far away from
their families. Therefore, it is important that there is this
cross-border collaboration wherever in the world. This is not specific
for this region.

Q. Burma is one of the biggest heroine producers. And your report said
that 60% of HIV positives in Burma are found among injecting drug users.
How you are going to tackle this drug abuse problem in Burma?

A. Drug abuse is one of the most tragic aspect of human behavior, I
would say everywhere. And with AIDS it has become even more of tragedy
and even more lethal. And there are in addition that the problem is not
confined to those who shoot drug but also to their sex partners and
these partners and of their partners and so on. For us it is one of the
most difficult problems?.

And of course it will be best that people don't shoot drugs, don't use
drugs. But for those who do, we have a responsibility as those who are
responsible for public health to make sure that injecting drug users are
not becoming infected and not transmitting the virus and through sex to
their sex partners. And so, what we are doing that varies very much from
country to country is that we are working with the national authorities
because this is something where you have to do that within the confines
of the law in each country?.

Q. Will the working with Burmese government be satisfactory because of
rigid nature and functioning there of the government?

A. We are working with everybody who is willing to address this AIDS
epidemic. We know that that is not only the government. So not enough is
being done. That is for sure, be it on the government side or be it on
the side of non-governmental organizations. Myanmar has also so many
other problems. But much more has to be done. Otherwise, this will
become the country with the biggest AIDS epidemic in the whole of Asia.
And so it is not only a matter of putting in place prevention
programmes, condom promotion, sex education for young people, life
skills, addressing the issues of drug users but also respecting and
promoting human rights when it comes to people living with HIV as well
as for the population in general.             THE END