Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - Saturday, July 10, 2004
Anuraj Manibhandu
"If governments intervene aggressively the rate of spread of infection can be contained. If they don't there will an estimated 10 million new infections in the next five years," he said.
Mr Van der Linden spoke to the Bangkok Post after the ADB and the Joint United Nations programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) released a report urging prompt action, and the ADB announced a grant of US$140 million to help regional states.
The money comes from the Asian Development Fund whose donors specified that 2% of the US$7 billion pledged last year go towards the battle against HIV/Aids, he said.
More than seven million people in the Asia Pacific region are living with HIV/Aids, with 500,000 dying each year, says the report. The economic costs in 2001 alone amounted to US$7.3 billion, which could rise to US$17 billion if nothing was done.
But money alone was not sufficient to fight the battle. Governments had to show leadership by speaking out, he said. "In the minds of many people HIV/Aids is associated with something shameful so many people are reluctant to speak out," he said.
Signs had emerged in Thailand, Cambodia and India that the disease was localising in specific areas despite apparent improvements nationwide.
Mr Van der Linden said roads were magnets for migrant workers while they were under construction, and for truck drivers on the move when they were completed.
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