Let the community lead.

SGGP 02/12/2023 08:06

World AIDS Day (December 1st) is a time to reflect on the remarkable progress made in the fight against HIV/AIDS and to support those living with the disease.

"Let the community lead" is the theme of World AIDS Day 2023.

Despite significant progress over the years, a concerning phenomenon is the declining awareness of the disease among young people. In Thailand, according to data from the Department of Disease Control, nearly half of the more than 9,000 new HIV infections each year are among those aged 15-24. According to Dr. Suchada Jiamsiri, Head of the AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Prevention Division, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health , this rate indicates a lack of concern among young people and a disregard for safe sex practices, leading to an increase in infections in this age group over the past few years.

According to the Bangkok Post on December 1st, there are currently 561,578 people living with HIV in Thailand, amidst the government's participation in a global commitment to end HIV/AIDS by 2030. This commitment aims to reduce the number of new infections to below 1,000 per year, from the current 9,230, and the number of HIV/AIDS-related deaths to below 4,000 per year, from the current 10,970. Meanwhile, state funding for HIV/AIDS management has decreased due to the perception that the disease is no longer as significant as before. Foreign funding for local HIV/AIDS prevention projects has also declined for similar reasons, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even in the wealthy United States, funding for HIV/AIDS programs is being proposed for a $767 million cut. The Baltimore Sun quotes Dr. Allison Agwu, president of the HIV Medical Association and professor of adult and pediatric infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, as saying that the US is at a dangerous crossroads that could derail decades of progress in the nationwide response to HIV. If funding cuts continue, all progress made in combating HIV in the country will be eroded and reversed.

Achieving the goal of ending HIV/AIDS – a public health threat – by 2030 requires sustained commitment. The theme of World AIDS Day 2023 is “Let Communities Lead.” This means that achieving the goal of eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030 will depend heavily on community support in investing in effective treatment and prevention measures. But communities need more support, including funding from relevant agencies. This year’s World AIDS Day message emphasizes the crucial role of communities in planning, service delivery, and policy advocacy. This goal can only be achieved if policymakers invest fully in community-led responses, sectors collaborate to support and modify policies and regulations that currently hinder the work of community organizations.

In the context of infectious diseases that still hold many unpredictable developments, the community will be a crucial infrastructure and key strategy to support this goal.

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