"Deadly Specter of AIDS Virus Is Stalking Asia, Bringing Human Tragedy," Huge Health Costs

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

"Deadly Specter of AIDS Virus Is Stalking Asia, Bringing Human Tragedy," Huge Health Costs

Asian Wall Street Journal (12/23/91) Vol. 13, No. 51, P. 1
Pura, Raphael

Abstract: Asia once had the least number of AIDS cases, but now has more than a million people infected with HIV. Presently, Asia has the second highest HIV prevalence after Africa. Dr. M.H. Merson, director of the World Health Organization's Global Program on AIDS, said that because of the continent's size "the annual number of [new] HIV infections in Asia is expected to exceed the annual number in Africa sometime during the mid to late 1990s." The major methods of transmission in much of Asia are intravenous drug use and commercial sex. WHO estimates that by the year 2000, 90 percent of all Asian people with HIV will have contracted it through heterosexual contact. The cost of caring for AIDS patients in Thailand alone will reach at least $2 billion a year by 2000. While AIDS education and precautionary measures in Asia are just beginning, some country's religious practices will not allow AIDS education for fear of condoning lax morals.

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