UNAIDS Praises Thailand For Taking Significant Measures To End HIV Epidemic

BANGKOK, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) commended Thailand for taking significant strides toward ending its HIV epidemic. Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific Taoufik Bakkali said Thailand is setting an example for the world of translating political will into action. “We are grateful to Thailand for its global AIDS response leadership,” he said in a statement. UNAIDS said there were an estimated 520,000 people in Thailand living with HIV in 2021. It said Thailand has made considerable progress against AIDS, especially in providing life-saving testing and treatment to people living with HIV, in bid to end AIDS by 2030. It said Thailand, first country in the region to be validated as having eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission in 2016. It has also joined the Global Partnership to Eliminate all Forms of HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination. “Since 2010, AIDS-related deaths have declined by almost two-thirds (65 per cent) while new infections fell by 58 per cent. “Last year an estimated 94 per cent of people living with HIV in Thailand were aware of their status while 91 per cent of diagnosed people were on treatment and 97 per cent of those on treatment achieved viral suppression,” it said. Meanwhile, UNAIDS Country Director for Thailand, Patchara Benjarattanaporn said Thailand is on-track to meet and exceed the 95 per cent testing and treatment targets by 2025. “To do so it must reach those still not accessing HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care services. A key priority for Thailand is to get people diagnosed earlier and further reduce new infections,” she said in a statement. Last year, there were an estimated 6500 new HIV infections in Thailand. Critically, half of all new infections occur among young people between ages 15 and 24, most of them among people in key population communities. Patchara said Thailand provides excellent HIV services yet too many young people do not get the prevention information, services and support their need. “Some people living with HIV become aware of their status late, with already advanced illness. As we work to reach those being left behind, we must address inequalities in access to information, services and support and continue to innovate and scale up effective, community-led approaches. “Through bold action to tackle inequalities, we can end AIDS by 2030,” she said. Thailand is hosting the 51st meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) in Chiang Mai from Tuesday to Friday. It is the first time in 14 years that the board will meet outside Geneva, Switzerland and the second time it will be in Chiang Mai. Hosting the meeting in Thailand, the chair of PCB this year, helps sustain momentum in the Asia Pacific region to fulfill commitments made by the community of nations in the 2021 political declaration on HIV. The UNAIDS PCB provides oversight and strategic direction for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, which guides and supports the HIV response globally. In a statement, Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul said as host, Thailand has so many lessons to share from its AIDS response with representatives of other 22 UNAIDS member countries, supporting agencies, civil society, and NGOs, as well as HIV-related organisations from all over the world who will be attending the meeting. -- BERNAMA