Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - December 31, 2002
Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng said all state agencies working on HIV/Aids needed to put more efforts into preventing and controlling the spread of the disease.
Mr Chaturon, who chairs the committee, warned of the possibility of Thailand having the highest number of children orphaned by Aids in Asia, if stronger measures were not implemented.
As of 2001, Thailand had 1.04 million orphans. Almost 290,000 of them, or 28%, had lost their parents to Aids, according to the deputy prime minster. He warned the number was expected to rise to 380,000 in 2005.
Mr Chaturon said the government had to adopt recommendations of UNAids, which suggested 12 main guidelines in mitigating the effects of HIV/Aids on children and their families.
UNAids said strategies to protect orphans and other vulnerable children should be strengthened within their extended families and communities, in addition to enhancing the capacity of the families and communities to respond to the psycho-social needs of the orphans, the vulnerable children and their care-givers.
The UN agency also suggested that HIV/Aids prevention activities, care and support for people living with the virus be linked to other efforts to support orphans and vulnerable children.
Issues concerned with gender discrimination needed addressing with particular attention, as the greater burden of care often fell on girls and women, many of whom were denied their right to own and inherit property because of their early drop-out from school.
The United Nations agency also urged governments to address issues of stigma and discrimination as part of all care, support and prevention activities, by outlining anti-discrimination policies and legislations.
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