Speaking at a recent seminar held at the university, Dr Wodak praised
Australia's efforts to date at controlling the spread in Asia and emphasised
the continued importance of harm reduction, including needle syringe programs
and methadone maintenance treatment.
"Strong Australian support for harm reduction in Asia can be justified on both
altruistic grounds as well as self- interest. Harm reduction is one of the most
effective interventions in the entire HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment
repertoire," Dr Wodak said.
"But in most countries in Asia, entrenched opposition from supporters of global
drug prohibition has meant too little and too late implementation of
harm-reduction measures."
Dr Wodak stressed that nobody should be complacent about the risk of AIDS in
2007 and said the Asian sex trade was a danger for overseas travellers. "There
are 20 Asian countries where the proportion of injecting drug users makes up
the majority of infected people [60 to 80 per cent in many countries] and in
many of these countries there is a significant crossover between injecting drug
users and sex workers," he said.
Dr Wodak also referred to the possibility of the disease spreading in the Asian
gay community, pointing to the community's lack of visibility and organisation,
"often due to a fear of being bashed or ostracised", as a barrier to treatment.
When asked his opinion of the Prime Minister, John Howard's recent comments
regarding immigration bans for HIV-positive people, Dr Wodak said it was
important to realise that there were already restrictions in place, and that
"there are not millions of HIV-positive people around the world descending on
Australia".
"Sometimes it is very reasonable for Australians to accept people that are
secure and will contribute," Dr Wodak said.
"To not allow these people would be inhumane.
"It is important for us to play our role as part of the international community
by accepting some of these people."
'In many of these countries there is a significant crossover between injecting
drug users and sex workers.'
Southern Courier
