Thailand has provided antiretroviral medications to the roughly 10,000 of its 50,000 children under the age of 15 who were living with HIV as of 2006, up 40 percent from the previous year, IRIN Asia reports (irinnews.org, 4/23).
According to the article, Thailand’s success in treating HIV among children can be directly attributed to its increase in overall AIDS awareness, which include enforcing condom use in commercial sex establishments and a 2003 commitment by its federal government to provide universal antiretrovirals. In 2007, Thailand committed to putting children at the forefront in its fight against the virus.
“For children, small things can make a big difference,” said Thai social worker Chutima Salsaengjan, of the We Understand Group, a nongovernment organization that serves positive children. “It’s important to treat the illness but also important to help the children cope.”
NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.
Please click OK to confirm your comment and confirm you accept our posting rules. Note your message will be reviewed by our staff before going live.
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
Woman of the Month is supported by exclusive advertising from Gilead.
Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I think that it's OK to be angry. I am sometimes—it's natural—we are HIV positive. but I always try to not let myself stay there too long. Let yourself feel you are human. You should not beat yourself up about being angry."
