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Home >> Thematic Area >> HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS

Today globally more than 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. Over 95% of these are in developing countries. Half of new HIV infections are among young people 15-24 years of age. The disease is taking hold in many countries in Asia – an estimated 1 million in China and 6 million in India. Six states of India is experiencing generalized epidemic, where as Indonesia and Nepal is classified as countries experiencing concentrated epidemic. In south Asia the main transmission route is heterosexual contact and sharing of injecting equipments. Throughout the region, injecting drug use is adding to the rapid spread of the epidemic.

Bangladesh: High risk low prevalence country

Sero surveillance of 1st – 5th (1998-2004) found overall HIV rates (<1%).
Identified HIV positive cases as of December 2004 are 465 and estimated number of HIV positive is 7500.
In a pocket among IDUs the HIV prevalence has increased from 1.4% to 8.9% in the past three years.
The last behavioral surveillance (5th) data indicate risk behaviors like sharing of injecting equipments (7-77%) and low condom use in commercial sexual contacts (2-12%).
Nearly 23% of total population of Bangladesh is composed of adolescents
Low risk perception, gender inequality, poverty, inadequate supply of safe blood and blood products, surrounded by high prevalent countries, internal and external migration of people increases the vulnerability of the country for transmission of HIV among the general population.

Bangladesh: National response to the epidemic

Bangladesh has established a National AIDS Committee (NAC) in 1985. The HIV/AIDS policy was endorsed in 1997. 2nd National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS for 2004- 2010 developed and approved.

The National AIDS /STD Programme (NASP) is the oversight body to guide, lead and coordinate the national response to HIV epidemic.

Role of UNFPA in national HIV/AIDS response:

HIV/AIDS Prevention Project: UNFPA is providing Technical Assistance to the National AIDS/STD Program (NASP) for its institutional strengthening to act as an oversight body. The areas of technical assistance are: Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation, Safer Sex Promotion, Drug User Intervention, STI Management, Advocacy and BCC, Financial Management.

Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS into Sectoral Plans at National and District Level in Selected Ministries of GOB: through access of UNAIDS’ Programme Accelerated Fund (PAF), UNFPA has implemented the project. In this project Focal Persons of the16 selected ministries had been identified and oriented on HIV/AIDS prevention activities. HIV/AIDS activities have been identified for inclusion into the Sectoral Plans of 16 Ministries of GOB.

UNFPA is also providing support for strengthening Parliamentarians, Policy makers and civil society to understand and play their roles on prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Awareness raising programme on HIV/AIDS involving the Muslim religious leaders has been a great success and is being further extended involving the Hindu, Christian and Buddhist religious leaders.

Media personnel are also being sensitized through meetings and workshops on HIV/AIDS.

UNFPA is building awareness among the law enforcing agencies to understand and mobilize support on HIV/AIDS.

UNFPA is providing support to the garments workers for raising awareness on STI/HIV/AIDS and use of condom.

Intensive IEC programm for prevention of HIV/AIDS for the tea plantation workers is ongoing. .

Through Reproductive Health Component projects of UNFPA is providing support to build the capacity of service providers on STI/RTI management, counseling for STI/RTI and HIV/AIDS. The component project emphasizes on male involvement, condom promotion and strengthening the BCC activities.

“Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia (RHIYA)”: In this project UNFPA partnering with European Union (EU) providing support to improve sexual and Reproductive Health services for youth and adolescents. It aims to increase the percentage of youth with correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS.

UNFPA is providing technical support for the implementation of UN Learning Strategy on HIV /AIDS at work place. UNFPA with other UN Agencies facilitated a training workshop for a core group of UN Staff to equip with requisite skills to facilitate rolling out of UNLS in the entire UN system in Bangladesh. UNFPA also organized orientation workshop for its staff and their families on UNLS.

HIV/AIDS awareness raising workshop among Girl guides and Boy scouts.

UNLS training for the adolescent children of UNFPA staff.

Key challenge to prevent HIV/AIDS epidemic:

Openness in discussion related sexuality and HIV/AIDS

Condom Promotion among the population at risk and general population.

Essential policy review and legal/law reform to enhance enabling environment for HIV/AIDS prevention.

Effective multisectoral responses based on respect for human rights and dignity

Reaching out to the community with the right message.

Reaching out to young people with information and providing them access to HIV and STI prevention services.

Link HIV/AIDS control and preventive activities to national development framework such as PRSP, SWAP and HNPSP.

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