Condom shortage, Thailand warned of AIDS spread

January 26, 2005

Bangkok - The UN has warned that the HIV/AIDS virus may quickly spread across Thailand's tsunami-affected coastline due to increasing prostitution and condom shortage, reports UPI.

In the wake of the disaster, many locals who lost their livelihoods are turning to prostitution and condoms are in scarce supply, said UNAIDS Thailand coordinator Patrick Brenny.

He urged the Thai government and NGOs to increase access to both condoms and AIDS educational materials.

"Whenever there is a disaster situation there is always an increased chance of HIV/AIDS vulnerability -- this is a constant anywhere in the world," said Brenny.

"In this case, what is especially worrying is that this disaster has affected an already HIV/AIDS volatile region."

Thailand's coast already had a particularly high AIDS rate prior to the tsunami, the region's agency chief said. In the country's southern seaside region, the AIDS rate had doubled in recent years among teenage girls.

UNAIDS is a joint UN programme on HIV/AIDS that advocates global action on the epidemic. It seeks an expanded response aimed at preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support and alleviating the impact of the epidemic on individuals and communities.

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