November 29th, 2007, 09:45
Bangkok Post
Two studies have found that people infected with the type of HIV in Thailand die from Aids significantly sooner than people infected and living in other parts of the world.
According to research led by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the shorter survival time measured in the studies suggests that HIV subtype E, which is the most common HIV subtype in Thailand, may be more virulent than other subtypes of the virus.
Both studies are published in a special issue of the journal AIDS, (click for journal website)
The researchers report their findings and provide background on the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg site (click here)
According to ScienceDaily.com, the first study followed 228 men over a 14-year period starting in 1991. All of the men were serving in the Thai military and were HIV-negative when they enrolled in the study. The researchers tested for HIV every six months to determine approximately when they acquired HIV. The men were also diagnosed at a time before combination antiretroviral drug therapy was available.
The researchers compared the group of Thai men to a group of similar HIV-positive men living in North America and Europe who were included in another study. The median time from HIV infection to death for the Thai men was 7.8 years compared to 11 years for HIV-positive men living in North America and Europe. The survival rate for the Thai men was also lower than studies of similar populations living in low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa where subtypes A, C, D and G circulate. However, the shorter survival after HIV infection among persons in Africa infected with subtype D was similar to the survival among the Thai men.
"We were surprised to learn that the young military recruits from Thailand appeared to develop Aids more quickly and have shorter survival after their HIV infection than persons in Africa who were carefully followed," said lead author Ram Rangsin, assistant professor of Community and Military Medicine at Phramongkutklao College of Medicine in Bangkok. Rangsin conducted the research while studying at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. "Fortunately, the men who have survived after their infection are now receiving treatment with effective antiviral drugs and doing very well."
Full article and Links
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/t ... ?id=124049 (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=124049)
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Bangkok Post
Two activists groups claimed on Wednesday that Thailand is preventing medical treatment to drug users with HIV, and is endangering its status as a leader in the fight against Aids.
The groups alleged that police harass and arrest drug users, deterring infected individuals from receiving health services related to HIV infection.
Their report accused the government of violating both Thai constitutional and international human rights obligations.
Human Rights Watch and the Thai Aids Treatment Action Group claimed in the report that the Thai government failed to treat or prevent HIV infections among intravenous drug users. The report estimated that more than 40 per cent of intravenous drug users in Thailand are infected with HIV.
"An HIV diagnosis is still a death sentence for most drug users in Thailand," said Paisan Suwannawong, identified as director of the Thai Aids Treatment Action Group, or Tatag.
"Thailand must stop discrimination against drug users seeking health care services or it will never meet its promise to ensure access to Aids treatment to all who need it."
Bangkok Post
via Baht Stop by Sexpat
...................................
Thailand: Denial of HIV Treatment Erodes Success on AIDS
Drug Users Driven Away From Effective HIV Programs
(Bangkok, November 29, 2007) тАУ ThailandтАЩs failure to address the HIV epidemic in the hardest-hit population, drug users, is jeopardizing its record as a leader in the global fight against AIDS, Human Rights Watch and the Thai AIDS Treatment Action Group said today in a report released in advance of World AIDS Day.
In violation of its constitutional and international human rights obligations, the Thai government has systematically failed to prevent and treat HIV infection among drug users. The Thai government estimates that 40 to 50 percent of injection drug users are living with HIV in Thailand тАУ virtually unchanged over the past two decades. ┬а
┬а
The 57-page report, "Deadly Denial: Barriers to HIV/AIDS Treatment for People Who Use Drugs in Thailand", found that routine police harassment and arrest тАУ as well as the lasting effects of former Prime Minister Thaksin ShinawatraтАЩs 2003 drug war тАУ keeps drug users from receiving lifesaving HIV information and services that Thailand has pledged to provide. The report also documents how drug users face discrimination from health care workers, who continue to deny antiretroviral treatment to people who need it based on their status as drug users. ┬а
┬а
"Thailand wants to be seen as a success story in the fight against AIDS, yet it is failing to address the epidemic among the population hit hardest by HIV," said Rebecca Schleifer, advocate advocate with the HIV/AIDS and Human Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "The Thai government has recognized that the HIV infection rate is 'unacceptably high,' and it has the expertise to address this public health emergency." ┬а
┬а
Thailand has been lauded as a global leader among developing countries for its aggressive HIV prevention programs and its efforts to provide universal access to HIV treatment. Yet Thailand never reached out with prevention programs to injection drug users. ┬а.....
Full article and links at
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/28/ ... 27_txt.htm (http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/28/thaila17427_txt.htm)
┬а
Two studies have found that people infected with the type of HIV in Thailand die from Aids significantly sooner than people infected and living in other parts of the world.
According to research led by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the shorter survival time measured in the studies suggests that HIV subtype E, which is the most common HIV subtype in Thailand, may be more virulent than other subtypes of the virus.
Both studies are published in a special issue of the journal AIDS, (click for journal website)
The researchers report their findings and provide background on the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg site (click here)
According to ScienceDaily.com, the first study followed 228 men over a 14-year period starting in 1991. All of the men were serving in the Thai military and were HIV-negative when they enrolled in the study. The researchers tested for HIV every six months to determine approximately when they acquired HIV. The men were also diagnosed at a time before combination antiretroviral drug therapy was available.
The researchers compared the group of Thai men to a group of similar HIV-positive men living in North America and Europe who were included in another study. The median time from HIV infection to death for the Thai men was 7.8 years compared to 11 years for HIV-positive men living in North America and Europe. The survival rate for the Thai men was also lower than studies of similar populations living in low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa where subtypes A, C, D and G circulate. However, the shorter survival after HIV infection among persons in Africa infected with subtype D was similar to the survival among the Thai men.
"We were surprised to learn that the young military recruits from Thailand appeared to develop Aids more quickly and have shorter survival after their HIV infection than persons in Africa who were carefully followed," said lead author Ram Rangsin, assistant professor of Community and Military Medicine at Phramongkutklao College of Medicine in Bangkok. Rangsin conducted the research while studying at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. "Fortunately, the men who have survived after their infection are now receiving treatment with effective antiviral drugs and doing very well."
Full article and Links
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/t ... ?id=124049 (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=124049)
======================================
Bangkok Post
Two activists groups claimed on Wednesday that Thailand is preventing medical treatment to drug users with HIV, and is endangering its status as a leader in the fight against Aids.
The groups alleged that police harass and arrest drug users, deterring infected individuals from receiving health services related to HIV infection.
Their report accused the government of violating both Thai constitutional and international human rights obligations.
Human Rights Watch and the Thai Aids Treatment Action Group claimed in the report that the Thai government failed to treat or prevent HIV infections among intravenous drug users. The report estimated that more than 40 per cent of intravenous drug users in Thailand are infected with HIV.
"An HIV diagnosis is still a death sentence for most drug users in Thailand," said Paisan Suwannawong, identified as director of the Thai Aids Treatment Action Group, or Tatag.
"Thailand must stop discrimination against drug users seeking health care services or it will never meet its promise to ensure access to Aids treatment to all who need it."
Bangkok Post
via Baht Stop by Sexpat
...................................
Thailand: Denial of HIV Treatment Erodes Success on AIDS
Drug Users Driven Away From Effective HIV Programs
(Bangkok, November 29, 2007) тАУ ThailandтАЩs failure to address the HIV epidemic in the hardest-hit population, drug users, is jeopardizing its record as a leader in the global fight against AIDS, Human Rights Watch and the Thai AIDS Treatment Action Group said today in a report released in advance of World AIDS Day.
In violation of its constitutional and international human rights obligations, the Thai government has systematically failed to prevent and treat HIV infection among drug users. The Thai government estimates that 40 to 50 percent of injection drug users are living with HIV in Thailand тАУ virtually unchanged over the past two decades. ┬а
┬а
The 57-page report, "Deadly Denial: Barriers to HIV/AIDS Treatment for People Who Use Drugs in Thailand", found that routine police harassment and arrest тАУ as well as the lasting effects of former Prime Minister Thaksin ShinawatraтАЩs 2003 drug war тАУ keeps drug users from receiving lifesaving HIV information and services that Thailand has pledged to provide. The report also documents how drug users face discrimination from health care workers, who continue to deny antiretroviral treatment to people who need it based on their status as drug users. ┬а
┬а
"Thailand wants to be seen as a success story in the fight against AIDS, yet it is failing to address the epidemic among the population hit hardest by HIV," said Rebecca Schleifer, advocate advocate with the HIV/AIDS and Human Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "The Thai government has recognized that the HIV infection rate is 'unacceptably high,' and it has the expertise to address this public health emergency." ┬а
┬а
Thailand has been lauded as a global leader among developing countries for its aggressive HIV prevention programs and its efforts to provide universal access to HIV treatment. Yet Thailand never reached out with prevention programs to injection drug users. ┬а.....
Full article and links at
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/28/ ... 27_txt.htm (http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/28/thaila17427_txt.htm)
┬а