Monday, January 15, 2007 Oledan: Stepping up By Radzini Oledan Slice Of Life
AT THE ongoing 12th Summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) in Cebu, the issue of AIDS is high on the agenda as the 10 participating Heads of State consider AIDS at an extraordinary session where regional responses were discussed.
This is relevant considering that Asia has the second largest number of people living with HIV in the world and its share of the global epidemic is increasing.
Faced with such challenges, countries across the region needs to step up commitment to fight AIDS and put AIDS and its effects at the center of many political and socio-economic discussions.
Health records would show that the Asean region - which includes Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam - has the most severe epidemics within Asia.
The event forms part of the commitment of Asean Heads of State to prioritize, lead and strengthen national AIDS responses.
At their 7th Summit held in Brunei Darussalam on November 2001, the Asean Heads of State and Government passed a resolution to convene the "Special Session on HIV and AIDS" in conjunction with the 12th Asean Summit in 2007, to signal Asean's commitment in combating AIDS and to give impetus to regional responses in taking urgent action.
While the prevalence of HIV AIDS in our own country is considered to be at its 'slow and low' phase, authorities cannot remain complacent on its extent. The reason why there is an intense effort to educate the public on how to prevent the disease. The UNAIDS estimated 6,000 to 13,000 people living with HIV disease in the Philippines.
Women are increasingly affected, now making up nearly half of the 37.2 million adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV worldwide. Compared to men, women are more physically susceptible to HIV infection. Studies would show that the male-to-female HIV transmission during sex is about twice as likely to occur as female-to-male transmission.
Many regions and countries are experiencing diverse epidemics, some still in the early stage which makes it all the more a unique development challenge which requires sustainable solutions rather than emergency responses.
Yet, there is a need to review and implement an appropriate gender-sensitive strategy especially if we are to consider that the ABC prevention approach (Abstinence, Being Faithful and reducing number of sexual partners and Condom use) has proven insufficient.
Still, an informed and educated citizenry appears to be the only best defense against HIV-AIDS. This will enable the public, especially women to be in better position to assert their reproductive right and both partners knows how to protect themselves from the disease and help prevent its spread.
