Thailand Shows the Way Towards an HIV-Free World

Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh is the Regional Director of the South East Asia Region of WHO.By Dr Poonam Khetrapal SinghNEW YORK, Jun 7 2016 (IPS)Thailand has provided the world with an important milestone towards the global goal of ending pediatric AIDS. This week, the World Health Organization is formally declaring that Thailand has officially eliminated new HIV infections among children.Whereas in 2000 an estimated 1000 children in Thailand were newly infected with HIV, in 2015 just – 85 children were infected with the disease. This very low level of new infection among children is comparable to the results achieved in North America and Western Europe, where mother-to-child HIV transmission is extremely rare. Last year, Cuba became the first country to be officially acknowledged as having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. This week’s landmark represents the first time that a country with a large HIV epidemic has reached this milestone for children. In Thailand today, 98% of all pregnant women living with HIV receive antiretroviral therapy, and the rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission is less than 2%. This is a remarkable achievement in a country where an estimated 450 000 people were living with HIV in 2014.Several factors have contributed to Thailand’s extraordinary achievement. First, sustained success in preventing new HIV infections generally has reduced the burden of HIV among women of childbearing age. From 2000 to 2014, the annual nu...

Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - June 7, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Dr Poonam Tags: Asia-Pacific Civil Society Development & Aid Education Featured Gender Headlines Health Poverty & SDGs Women's Health Source Type: news