Theme
‘Engaging Asia-Pacific
Youth in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS’ is the theme for the 22nd EAMSC in Kuala Lumpur. The salience of this issue today is clearly reflected in the prevalence and incidences of HIV infections in the Asia-Pacific, which have risen over the past decade. It is estimated that over 8 million people are living with HIV in Asia, with a further 75,000 in Oceania. This has enormous consequences for a region encompassing over half the world’s population; it presents an arduous challenge to health and socio-economic development. Furthermore, due to the immense diversity of the Asia-Pacific, HIV epidemics in the region vary greatly in terms of nature, severity and pace.
While public health measures for limiting HIV transmission via commercial sex has been relatively successful, HIV epidemics in intravenous drug users (IDU) populations remains a critical problem in many countries in the Asia-Pacific. Since the 1980s, explosive spreads of HIV in IDU populations have occurred in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Nepal and Indonesia.
Clearly, HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific is an issue of paramount importance that we cannot afford to overlook. This sets the tone for the 22nd EAMSC in Kuala Lumpur.
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