Publications

On the cusp of the fourth decade of the AIDS epidemic, the world has turned the corner—it has halted and begun to reverse the spread of HIV (Millennium Development Goal 6.A). The question remains how quickly the response can chart a new course towards UNAIDS’ vision of zero discrimination, zero new HIV infections, and zero AIDS-related deaths through universal access to effective HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. At a time of financial constraint, good investments are more important than ever. The evidence supporting increased investment in the HIV response has never been clearer or more compelling. New data from 182 countries, along with extensive input from civil society and other sources, clearly show that steady progress is being made towards achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. HIV prevention is working. Treatment is working.

The 2008/2009 HIV estimates were generated through a systematic process that included consultation with experts in the field of biostatistics and epidemiology and who represented premier Indian institutions, and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organisation (WHO). This report highlights the India HIV estimates 2008/2009.

The 2010 Cambodia Most at Risk Young People Survey (MARYPS 2010) is a follow up of an earlier survey conducted in 2004 in Cambodia to obtain data on the situation, behaviors and sexual and reproductive health of most at risk young people (MARYP). The goal of the survey was to provide the policymakers and planners with reliable data on alcohol, drug and sex related behaviors and utilization of sexual and reproductive health services among MARYP.

The study sought to quantify the prevalence of violence against women and children and identify the most common causes of violence. This information is intended to form the basis for interventions that would in the long term minimise and, it is hoped, ultimately eliminate the drivers of violence against women and children. The Kiribati Family Health and Support Study has for the first time in the history of the country provided a picture of just how prevalent and serious this problem is.

The Hong Kong STD/AIDS update is a composite report on HIV/AIDS reporting and STI caseload statistics published 3 monthly. The current issue has the updated information up to December 2010.

Through this Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, the program results at all levels can be measured to provide the basis for accountability and informed decision-making at both program and policy levels. This document provides the framework for the monitoring of HIV/AIDS programs in the country. It serves as guidelines for HIV/AIDS monitoring and evaluation for decision-makers, key stakeholders in the national HIV/AIDS response and program officers on essential data to be collected, utilized, and reported to local and national level authorities.

Migrant female sex workers (FSWs) are one of the most at-risk populations for HIV in China. This study demonstrates how multiple risk factors are situated and vary by types of sex work environments in a sample of 348 migrant FSWs in Beijing. Participants reported high rates of clients' refusal to use condoms (76%), unsafe sex with both clients (32%), non-paid regular partners (e.g., boyfriend or husband) (76%), and a STI symptom (79%) last year. Only 22% of FSWs had been tested for HIV. Risk factors were compared by three types of sex work environments.

An Expert Consultation on Costing HIV Responses in Asia-Pacific was held from 28 to 29 October 2010 for expert developers and users to assess the usefulness of various costing tools for different purposes, as well as their comparability and complementarities. The meeting outcomes were intended to support the HIV National Strategic Planning process and Global Fund (and other) proposal development at a time when resources are expected to decline, so that countries must prioritize and implement the most cost-effective programmes.

Vietnam is a country with one of the highest prevalences of HIV in Southeast Asia. With an estimated prevalence of 293,000 people in 2007 (approximately 0.5% of the general population), the HIV epidemic is primarily concentrated in urban areas among key high-risk populations, the majority of which are injection drug users (IDU), and to a lesser extent, female sex workers (FSWs) and men who have sex with men (MSM). Efforts to confront the HIV epidemic in Vietnam face a high burden of patients with comorbid substance abuse and limited resources. International efforts to scale up antiretroviral therapy (ART) have greatly improved funding for treatment in Vietnam, allowing for approximately 14,969 people to receive ART as of 2007. The goals of this study were to document ART efforts in a resource-limited setting with high prevalence of IDUs, to identify high-risk groups for failure who may benefit from more frequent monitoring or other interventions and to assess the potential for delayed diagnosis of treatment failure when using targeted testing based on clinical and immunologic criteria.

This paper presents the status of family planning (FP) in the context of improving access to reproductive health services in the republic of the Maldives. Methodology adopted while preparing the paper include extensive desk review as well as interaction with key stakeholders-government, donors/development partners and NGOs that the author has undertaken during a visit to Male, the capital city of Maldives.