Ethics group proudly presents:

1. Ethics group proudly presents: • Education in preventing AIDS by Ulla Luhtasela • How can we support AIDS patients? by Aung ZawNaing Lin • Religion and HIV by Sk. Akhtar Ahmad • Is HIV still a death sentence in Asia? by Matiar Rahman • Animal Testing and Clinical Trials by Varaporn Podprasart • A pregnant woman's right to choose to have an abortion when she has HIV infection by Julaporn Srinha • The Role of Law in HIV by Gunawan Pratama Yoga

2. EDUCATION IN AIDS PREVENTION by Ulla Luhtasela 14.7.2000

3. Contentof the presentation 1. Introduction 2 Current situation in some Southeast Asian countries -Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malesia 3. Education for different groups

4. 4. Sex and Aids education in the schools 5. Education for CSW 6. Example of a prevention plan 7. Conclusion

5. 1. Introduction

6. Education is necessary component of HIV prevention • Coupled with promotion of practical prevention strategies, it can be a powerful motivator for positive behavior change • In most countries, an important first step is making people realize that they are at risk.

7. Biologically thinking, spread of HIV virus would be comparatively easy to stop spreading • However, already 30 million people worldwide has been infected and the number is growing at the concerning rate.

8. WHY? • knowledge about this disease has not reached everywhere • to change human behavior and attitude is extremely difficult • Education is one of the most important tools for the fight against HIV spread.

9. Increasing the awareness of threat will only be effective when message is coupled with useful information • In many developing countries resources are limited and should be targeted to those individuals and groups at the greatest risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV

10. The promotion of proper use of condoms as well as availability of condoms are key elements in the prevention of AIDS in high risk groups • Availability of clean needles is a problem in many countries • School based sex education programs can be an important part of a comprehensive country-level HIV prevention plan • Policies that promote education for girls and young women

11. Particularly sex education should help dispel sexual myths for young people and raise awareness about the relative risks of sexual activity • Existence and level of sex education varies between the continents and countries enormously • Country-driven prevention plans are more effective than donor-driven

12. 2. Current situation

13. Thailand • The estimated number of the HIV positive individuals in the country is between 800 000 and 1 million • Recently in Bangkok new concerns about spread of AIDS has been the infections among the people who do not consider themselves to be in the high risk group

14. In 1997 the Thai government ordered local communities to increase efforts to control AIDS and to improve assistance offered to AIDS patients • The same year National Aids Foundation was set up to look into how to spent the government’s AIDS budget in addition to funds donated by private organizations

15. In 1997 Thai government allocated 1600 million Bath to prevent and control AIDS. • Education of sex and Aids have been implemented into schools

16. Mr Mechai Viravaidhya • Thailand’s condom king has been active more than 10 years with introducing the condom to Thailand • He is president of the Population and Community Development Association • Opened a restaurant in Bangkok called “Cabbages and Condoms” as means of raising funds • Revolutionized the NGO world in Thailand.

17. CAMBODIA: • HIV has spread rapidly in Cambodia since it was first screened in 1991 • 100 000-150 000 HIV infections in the country • Cambodia has the highest rate of increase if HIV • Struggling with highest rates of poverty, malnutrition and poor education.

18. About 87 % of young man are having sex with their girlfriends, prostitutes, or other males, but nearly half of sexually active men never used a condom • The disease is spreading faster in Cambodia than in any Asian nation except Burma and India • Even the awareness of AIDS is slowly increasing, the sexual behavior has not changed

19. United Nations Human-rights representative reported in 1996 that Cambodia is thwarting the fight against AIDS by closing brothels, harassing sex workers and taking down posters promoting condom use • Such moves drive CSW underground and make AIDS education more difficult.

20. In 1997 Buddhist monk Pal Hor, who was operating Cambodia’s HIV/AIDS treatment center provides traditional medicine and Bugghist counseling • Anti-AIDS treatment was unavailable in Cambodia this was a last hope for many desperate and suicidal patients.

21. In 1991, Pact, an Independent international non-profit corporation started a Community Outreach Project (CCOP) in Cambodia • Developed culturally sensitive approaches to community-based development • Pact was the first donor to provide assistance

22. Provide training, technical support and direct grant assistance to Cambodia's first generation of NGOs • Pact focused on human resource development, training many local NGOs in participatory management, planning communication, program development, financial management and community development

23. LAOS • Although Laos has so far avoided the high rates of HIV infections, epidemic remains a serious threat • The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 30 cases of AIDS in Laos in 1997. Although this figure is low, there are no other officially reported data available from this country

24. United Nations reported in 1997: “ Increasing urbanization and population mobility, as well as increased prostitution and drug use could facilitate a burst in infection rates.” • Many work in the sex trade and when they return home, there is a real risk of introducing AIDS to villages, which have no means to protect themselves

25. Condoms are not available for most of the time they are too expensive for farmers • Foreign contractors from Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries with high HIV rates are hired to work in infrastructure projects in Laos.

26. CARE is a non governmental organization providing help in Laos • CARE’s Border Areas HIV/AIDS Prevention Project provides information on transmission and prevention of STDs and AIDS to CSWs and other high-risk groups in provinces

27. They have designed educational materials specifically tailored for these groups working along with their project partner, the National Committee for the Control of AIDS.

28. MALESIA • In Malaysia, 300 new HIV cases are detected each month, and a total of 448 AIDS cases and 16,349 HIV cases were reported by June 30 1996. • The estimated figures may not reflect the actual number of new cases because many are not reported

29. Governmnet is concerned about situation,and hopes that the community together with parents, educators, and community organizations would join the battle against HIV • The government has approved the spending of $48 million for AIDS care between 1993 and 1995, but says that additional funding is needed

30. The Ministry of Health has formulated a program to reach out and educate youths on HIV/AIDS • The Health without Aids for Malaysian (Prostar) program was launched in 1996 • The aim is to train 20 000 youth facilitators, who are equipped with knowledge of the disease and social values

31. The program involves students of institutes of higher learning as well as uniformed bodies and factory workers • This has been a successful program

32. Program for Sex Workers has shown positive results in the experiment where CSW are reach out from brothels, back lane, streets and homes • Peer educators allows for information dissemination to take place in a non confrontational manner • Increasing amount of CSW have started to use good quality condoms

33. Myanmar • According to United Nations statistics 1998, there was 440,000 HIV-positive individuals in Myanmar; however, some health workers estimate the number is higher • Prison conditions are reported to favor the spread of HIV

34. So far, Myanmar has taken few effective measures to limit the epidemic • Preferred to deny that promiscuity and commercial sex thrive in a Buddhist society • Heroin-takers and prostitutes are simply put in jail • New quarantine centers to house people with HIV are being built

35. Just recently, the government is beginning to take steps to counter the spread of the virus, instituting anti-HIV and risk-reduction campaigns • Officials also intend to organize more HIV-free blood-donation campaigns and education efforts

36. 3. Education for different groups • Type of education depends on the people to whom it is targeted • Major groups are -Scientists -Public -CSW -Children -Youth

37. Scientists • People who have higher education and want to learn more about clinical side of HIV • http://www.hopkins-aids.edu/hiv_lifecycle/index_fram.html

38. Public • Newspapers, radio, television, advertisement, campaigns • Information in interesting form, to make people realize, that this could happen to anybody, maybe someone from their own family.

39. CSW • Improved health care should include also information about the risks • Flyers, posters and information should be translated into major languages in the region • Condoms should be available

40. Youth • Education should be implanted into the schools • Practical information how to protect yourself and the one you love • Condom should be introduced

41. Children • Children hear and observe everything what is going around of them • Colorful children books are available at least in the western cultures. • A book from children to children is effective and help children to understand

42. 4. Sex and AIDS education in schools • Young people are especially vulnerable to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases as well as for drug use • Many young people can not talk about sex or Aids either at home or in the community

43. Often young people are embarrassed to talk about sex to doctors or nurses, and they might worry about confidential • Discussions among young people are conducted in the streets, information comes from older and more experienced teenagers, movies or magazines

44. Since most of the young people attend school at some point, these topics could and should be addressed by teachers and educators • There are number of obstacles which often stand in the way • Some countries have no policies on Aids education, and others can even have policies against AIDS education

45. It is commonly supposed that talking to young people about sex will make them do it • Negative effects might be emphased rather than positive aspects such as intimacy, sexual love and pleasure • This kind of unbalanced approach is often seen through by young people

46. In consequence, they may reject all that adults have to say, seeking guidance and role models from peers and from the media • research looking at the effects of sex education on young people's sexual behavior offers little evidence that it hastens the onset of sexual experience, or increases sexual risk among those who are already sexually active

47. Indeed, several studies from different countries show that good quality sex education can actually decrease the likelihood that young people will have sex, and increase condom use among those who are already sexually active

48. Designing a good curriculum for Aids education is essential start for a successful project • Effective programs are those that have had a positive influence on behavior as regards sex, drug use and non-discrimination, and not simply increased knowledge and changed the attitudes of students

49. Factual information about biology, sexual development, and sexual and drug-related risks. Concerns with personal relationships, feelings and values should be recognized and emphasis put on the acquisition of relevant negotiation skills

50. Effective programs should following things: -Focus on life skills -Concentrate on personalizing the risk -Discuss about possible result of unprotected sex -Introduce condom and show how to use it -Explain where to turn for help and support