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Desi Please

The Ugly Skeleton in Our Closet - HIV Epidemic in South Asia

By: Sambol :+: Under: Desi Please, It Happens Only in India, Opinion, Politics
On: ⋅ January 23, 2007 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment
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The issue of AIDS in the sub continent has been a contentious one for several years. However it is something real and growing. And the south Asian community better be prepared when it does finally raise its ugly head. HIV/Aids epidemic in south Asia is complex because of the labyrinthine of cultural values, taboos and socioeconomic factors. However if we keep ignoring the signs, we are driving head on towards a full blown AIDS epidemic in south Asia.

Majority of the data collected for HIV are from sex workers in the region. Many people do not know they have HIV/Aids due to a lack of education. And the educated class would not be honest with the problem due to social taboos.

India is looking at ways to contain the spread of the Aids epidemic but many of its citizens don’t want to talk about the issue. (LinK)

In addition to the taboos there is the problem of finances. How in the world can a regular citizen in this region afford to pay for drugs that are needed for HIV/AIDS? It costs a hefty sum of money for a citizen in the U.S. for medication; the odds to pay for treatment are stacked up against a regular citizen in India or Sri Lanka.

South Asian countries are struggling to cope with the growing H.I.V./Aids epidemic because they do not have access to the new and expensive drugs used in Western countries. In countries where no free drugs are provided, the problem is worse. In Asia, victims of H.I.V./AIDS have been deprived of CD-4 Cell Count facilities, and of the widely available ARV [antiretroviral] drugs. Standard treatment with antiviral drugs is just too expensive for most people in the region. An effective H.I.V./AIDS vaccine is still a dream. Why are these drugs so expensive?

This is a very good question. However if we do not know there is a problem, how can a region, country or people advocate for cheaper drugs? The regional leaders have always maintained a one line lie. “There is no problem in South Asia.” Well heck if you keep on saying the same mantra over and over again, then the drugs or focus for treatment will go to other parts of the world. Who loses at the end? The common poor man who is in need of treatment. The example below is a common occurrence in our region of the world.

Ram Kewar is on one of his regular visits - he is among 20 HIV-infected people who come here every day.

He was infected by the virus a few years ago and since then has passed it on to members of his family.

He says he had never even heard of the disease, far less about how it can be transmitted. (LINK)

The story of Ram is alarming and incredibly sad. I cannot imagine what this man felt when he found out about the disease he was hosting in his body. To be told there is no treatment for it must be something of a shock. But alarm bells should be going off everywhere when we see Ram’s story. The man had never heard of the disease and he did not know how he contracted it. In addition, he obviously passed this on to other people. The leaders of the region still maintain their make believe reality.

But the biggest problem is combating ignorance - and that includes people who are very influential. (LINK)

However the reality outside on the streets conveys the stark future we are facing. HIV/Aids are increasing. But we cannot know the direfulness of the situation due to lack of awareness. Unless we start educating the public and our leaders accept the reality of this virus in our region, the consequences of denial could be too great for a rapid solution.

In the past decade, Aids has claimed the lives of thousands of sex workers. Now they are learning to be more careful. (LINK)

This sent shivers through my spine. If there are thousands of sex workers dying, then how many people have they contaminated? And of those, how many don’t even know about the disease? How many children are born with the virus?

New data published by UNAIDS/WHO shows that one-fifth of the 39.5 million HIV-infected people in the world live in Asia, and that the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) has the second-highest number of HIV-infected persons, at 7.8 million, after Sub-Saharan Africa. Of the infected people, over 2 million are women and 120,000 are children.(LINK)

The WHO statistics say it all. However ask our politician and they will come up with some cock and bull story about the numbers. The risk factor of ignoring this virus in our region keeps growing. If the numbers are correct, we are looking at an epidemic which will have a tremendous impact in our region very soon. The impact will be felt not only on an individual level, but economically and politically. We just cannot keep on ignoring the problem. The data is right in front of us. It is very sad our children have to bear the consequences of their parents’ reckless behavior. Sadly they will forever be treated as pariahs of our society.

The report handed over to President Mahinda Rajapakse revealed that the country houses more than half million child labourers and a shocking figure of almost 100,000 commercial sex workers.(LINK)

There is hope in this long tunnel of darkness. If Rajapakse can openly acknowledge the growing problem of commercial sex workers in Sri Lanka, then surely we will have to tackle the problem of HIV/Aids. The sex worker industry is bringing millions to the economies of this region. However there is no medical or social support for this group of people. Educate them about the risk factors and we can, at least, start taking control of the epidemic. However I believe we are too late to control the spread of a disease. People like Raj are showing us the way and opening our eyes to reality. It is up to the men and women in power to recognize the need for education, medication and prevention of HIV/Aids. The alternate is for us to watch our kids pay the price for our mistakes.

The big question right now for all of us to ponder: Is it already too late?

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