[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Reuters-INTERVIEW-AIDS seen threate



Subject: Reuters-INTERVIEW-AIDS seen threatening Mekong growth plan 

INTERVIEW-AIDS seen threatening Mekong growth plan
02:59 a.m. Jun 01, 1999 Eastern
By Robert Birsel

PHNOM PENH, June 1 (Reuters) - The Asian Development Bank on Tuesday
unveiled an $8.2 million action plan to tackle the spread of AIDS in six
Mekong river countries where some top policy-makers are still reluctant to
acknowledge the problem.

The Mekong river region, which covers south China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand,
Cambodia and Vietnam, includes areas among the worst hit in Asia by the
spread of the virus that leads to AIDS.

The spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) could jeopardise plans
to foster growth in the so-called Greater Mekong sub-region through the
building of infrastructure links, a bank official said.

``The suspicion of HIV/AIDS is enough to destroy regional cooperation,'' the
bank's Senior Programmes Officer Myo Thant told Reuters.

``We say 'let's build roads' but they must not become conduits for
HIV/AIDS,'' he said. ``It can be prevented, but the time to think about this
is now, before the corridors are built.''

The action plan on AIDS, presented to officials at a meeting in Phnom Penh,
focuses on three groups -- government, the private sector and
non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The plan envisages regional centres for research and aims to rally NGOs and
the private sector to participate the fight against the disease.

A Thai NGO, the Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS, could serve as a model
for other countries in the region and help convince business people that
AIDS poses a huge threat to their workers and their customers.

Myanmar has introduced a cost-effective system whereby a pool of volunteers,
who consistently exhibit low-risk behaviour, is mobilised to donate safe
blood.

The plan also includes proposals to focus prevention efforts on certain
industries such as construction and fishing, to try to slow the spread of
HIV through intravenous drug use and to mobilise religious establishments to
care for AIDS victims.