Manila, October 24 (IANS). The Western Pacific region has seen a rapid increase in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) cases in recent years. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a serious warning regarding the increasing infections in the Philippines, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
WHO said that this is not only a health issue, but also a threat to the security of countries and the entire region.
A special meeting was held in Fiji on Wednesday, attended by health ministers, social organizations and development partners from 38 countries and territories in the Western Pacific region. The purpose of this meeting was to understand the HIV crisis in the region and discuss concrete measures to accelerate prevention. WHO and UNAIDS Asia-Pacific worked together to ensure that HIV prevention and treatment could be accelerated.
New HIV cases in Fiji have increased tenfold over the past decade. Especially in 2024, a huge surge was seen in this disease. According to experts, use of injectable drugs is the main reason. If it is not controlled, the infection could spread to other Pacific islands.
New HIV cases in the Philippines are projected to increase nearly sixfold between 2010 and 2024. Gay and bisexual men have been most affected by this infection. At the same time, the government of Papua New Guinea declared HIV a national crisis in June this year in view of the continuously increasing rate of infection among women and children.
WHO said in its statement, “There are many shortcomings in efforts to stop HIV in these countries. People not getting tested on time and not having adequate access to treatment is further increasing the problem.
“HIV has not been eliminated and special strategies are needed to stop it,” said Sia Mau Piukula, WHO regional director. It is important to tailor testing, treatment and prevention efforts to specific groups and affected areas.”
He added, “It’s been 40 years in the global fight against HIV and now we know what to do. But now is the time to take immediate and collective action. Every second is precious.”
UNAIDS Regional Director Eamon Murphy also confirmed that there is a strong need for more effective action to address the HIV crisis.
“If we invest in HIV services for the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, the health of the entire society will be protected,” Murphy said. This requires political will and responsibility. It is extremely important to ensure every person’s right to health, dignity and life without discrimination.
Australia, Cambodia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Vietnam were also praised in the meeting. These countries took immediate action to stop the spread of HIV, such as declaring a public health emergency and implementing new strategies. These countries demonstrated that good results can be achieved when scientific methods of prevention and universal antiretroviral treatment are combined.
At the end of the meeting, several suggestions were made and it was said that HIV should be given priority in the national agendas. Harm reduction measures should be increased for injecting drug users. Timely HIV test and treatment should be ensured. Universal health coverage should be used to finance treatment. Discrimination should be ended, because it is a major obstacle in testing and treatment.
–IANS
PK/AS