Sub Plenary: Socio-Economic Determinants and Gender andSexuality

The State of the Social Response.

Speakers:

• Pok Panhavihetr, Executive director Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance (KHANA), Cambodia, Home based care of PLWHA in a setting with scarce resource;
• Anthony Pramualatana, Asian Business Coalition on AIDS, Thailand, Response of the business Community to HIV/AIDS.;
• Linda Petersen (UNDP, Fiji), Role of Donors; Yayori Matsui (Asia-Japan Women's Resource Center) Role of the media.

Cambodia is dealing with the most serious epidemic in the Asia Pacific region with high prevalence rates combined with poverty, poor health system, gender inequality issues, political conflict, migration, high levels STDs, trafficking in women and girls, widespread commercial sex seen as contributing factors. Pok Panhavichetr of KHANA, whose mission is to build capacity of Cambodian NGOs to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic shared the logic, impact and the challenges of home based care for PLWHAs in Cambodia. Aside from providing a familiar environment and improving quality of the life, home based care helps to reduce stigma and discrimination while increase knowledge and skills in prevention and care in the community. Evaluation also reveals that the cost of delivering home care services in Cambodia compares favourably with the cost of providing outpatient services in public health facilities. Among the many challenges faced by NGOs and home based care providers in the increasing number of children being infected and affected by AIDS. The objectives of the coalition of business leaders promoting HIV/AIDS initiatives through and beyond the AIDS epidemic are to encourage businesses to adopt HIV/AIDS workplace polices and provide HIV/AIDS training and management courses. HIV/AIDS costs business in many ways, by the disruption of production due to sick leave, absenteeism, funeral attendance, health insurance and/or medical care, recruitment and training, death benefits and workplace conflict. The cost of HIV/AIDS policy is in time, management for training and policy development, staff for training and for a service provider to help and guide the company through the initial stages.

Anthony Pramualatana claims that effective HIV/AIDS programs and policies will: be integrated into organisational structure; minimise work disruptions and financial burden to both the company and employees; reduce fear and discrimination and contribute to higher staff morale and a positive corporate image both internally and in the community.

Linda Petersen said that in the last two years, the rates of infection of HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea and Kiribati have increased dramatically to epidemic status. Tonga and Fiji are also experiencing dramatic increases of epidemic proportions. Key factors in this dramatic increase are the very young populations with high rates of STIs, high teenage pregnancy rates, high drug using rates, high suicide rates and high mobility. While many of these countries have national development strategies and plans in place, there is limited implementation by governments who do not understand the implication of an unharnessed epidemic. Most of the major bilateral aid agencies operate in the area and there response the rising epidemic to date has been mainly health sector led with progress being made in areas of advocacy, information, education and communication but lagging in multi sectoral approach, only now are they managing to engage broader civil society. Ms Peterson identified political will and leadership, open society and strategic, multi level, multi sectoral community based responses as key elements for effective combat of the epidemic. These programs need to be integrated long term into nationally driven agenda. The media, according to Yayori Matsui has a responsibility to discuss HIV/AIDS issues in a responsible and non- sensational way that provides accurate information to the community using a variety of creative and innovative methods.

The media can promote understanding of the epidemic and reduce fear, discrimination and stigma in the community by responsible journalism that discusses issues in a broad perspective, both locally and internationally.