'Testing key' to cutting HIV death toll
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UNAIDS, other agencies call on regional nations to step up community screening
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) and its allies yesterday called on lawmakers in the Asia-Pacific region to boost voluntary confidential community-based HIV testing and to provide counselling for those at risk in a move to cut down on the number of deaths.
Voluntary community-based HIV testing would ensure that affected people are given access to the life-saving anti-retroviral treatment at an early stage, a statement from UNAIDS said.
This project is also supported by the World Health Organisation, Asia-Pacific Network of People Living with HIV (APN Plus), Asian Network of People who Use Drugs, Coalition of Asia Pacific Regional Network on Aids, and Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health.
The statement was released at the 11th International Congress on Aids in Asia-Pacific, which is being held in Bangkok.
“If we want to save lives we need to get people tested,” said Shiba Phuraicatpam, a regional coordinator at APN Plus.
Low levels of HIV testing and counselling are a serious cause of concern in the region, where less than half the people at risk know their HIV status – which can lead to late diagnosis, and late access to care and treatment, resulting in unnecessarily high morbidity rates, the statement said.
Evidence shows that many people across the region do not undergo HIV testing for fear of stigma and discrimination at their workplaces.
Also, in some countries, it is |only mandatory for sex workers and migrants to undergo the |tests.
Through community-based testing and counselling programmes that have been launched in some places, it is clear that community-based testing helps reduce stigma and discrimination and encourages a greater uptake of services.
Rights protection
It also encourages a greater protection of human rights.
The Public Health Ministry needs to coordinate with community groups in order to monitor the quality of services, ensure they conform to ethical standards, such as confidentiality and consent, and also safeguard rights of communities and key populations against all forms of compulsory testing.
Helping people living with HIV become aware of their status as early in their infection as possible, and linking them to HIV-prevention, care and treatment services, will give more people access to anti-retroviral treatment as well as maximise the preventative benefits of treatment, the statement said.
