[Posted by Frits van Griensven, msm-asia, 06 November 2008.]
THAILAND: "Alarm over Rising HIV Infection Among Gay Men"
The Nation (Thailand) (10.31.08)
HIV infections among gay men in Thailand have been rising in recent years, especially in tourist centers like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, health officials said recently. The news was delivered at an Oct. 30th conference about prevention lessons learned from a project targeting men who have sex with men (MSM).
In Bangkok, a survey found HIV prevalence among MSM increased from 17 percent in 2003 to 30 percent in 2007. In Chiang Mai, prevalence increased from 15.3 percent in 2005 to 16.9 percent last year. In Phuket, prevalence leapt from 5.5 percent in 2005 to 20 percent in 2007.
Male sex workers are a high-risk group due to unsafe sex behaviors and lack of HIV prevention awareness, said Dr. Somchai Chakrabhand, director-general of Thailand's department for disease control. "Most of them have anal sex with their partners without using a condom and lubricant," he said. "This could cause deep damage to the anal tissue and easy transmission of HIV."
In recent years, official campaigns targeting condom use among MSM have been discontinued, Somchai acknowledged.
In Chiang Mai, MSM often delay presenting to a general clinic or hospital for STD treatment, fearing others will learn about their symptoms, said Manoon Jaikueankaew, a health official. There is little government or financial support at the local level for MSM. "A one-stop service is really needed to provide information and health care to them," Manoon said. "This is the only way for them to protect themselves from HIV."
The best means of preventing HIV among MSM is providing free condoms and lubricant and raising awareness about health checks to diagnose HIV early, said Chatwut Wangwon, a member of a joint Thai Public Health Ministry and US CDC program. Infected MSM tend to be students, working age, single, and at least 27 percent are bisexual, Chatwut said.
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