HIV/AIDS infection
is one of the major public health problems in Cambodia, Lao
PDR, and Viet Nam. The HIV epidemic covers almost all
provinces and population groups in these countries. The share
of HIV/AIDS-related illnesses in the total burden of disease
in the Mekong subregion is expected to triple in the next 20
years, unless stronger preventive measures are undertaken.
The Asian
Development Bank funded Community
Action for Preventing HIV/AIDS project responds to
this health problem. This is an Asian Development Bank regional project for Cambodia, Vietnam and
Laos. Financial support is provided by the Japanese Fund for
Poverty Alleviation
The Project
aims to enhance the poverty reduction impact of the ADB health
projects by reducing the incidence of HIV/AIDS, a health
condition that disproportionately affects the poor and pushes
the non-poor into poverty.
In Cambodia the project is implemented by the National
Centre for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STI (NCHADS) of the
Ministry of Health. The Project is implemented in four
provinces: Battambang, Koh Kong, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng.
In Vietnam the project is being implemented in five
provinces: An Giang, Kien Giang, Lai Chau, Quang Chi, and Dong
Thap. The implementing agency in Vietnam is the AIDS Division
of the Ministry of Health.
In Laos three provinces are covered: Savannakhet,
Khammaoune and Oudomxay. The implementing agency in Laos is
the National Committee for the Control of AIDS (NCCA).
The response to
the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the three countries has been uneven. Although all three
countries have established national and provincial organisational structures to
develop
a multisectoral strategy for HIV/AIDS, these organisations
require further strengthening, especially at provincial and
district levels.
Viet Nam and
the Lao PDR are still in the process of developing their
surveillance systems. HIV testing facilities are available
only in a few large cities. HIV prevention activities are
being carried out in all three countries, but need to be
mainstreamed into primary health care programmes.
Awareness about
HIV is still low, especially among the poor and people living
in remote areas. Perhaps the biggest constraint the HIV/AIDS programmes face is the lack of financial resources. The annual
per capita investment for HIV/AIDS prevention activities
ranges from about $.05 per capita in Viet Nam to $0.15 per
capita in Cambodia, which is significantly lower than that
required for an effective response; for example, Thailand
invests about $1 per capita annually in HIV/AIDS programmes. |
