The Aids Research Center of the Thai Red Cross has collaborated with the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health to publicize information aiming to reduce viral contraction and to eliminate the labeling of AIDS patients. The United Nations praised Thailand as one of the first nations to solve the problem of HIV contraction from mother to child.
The Director of the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Center, Dr. Prapun Panupak has said that on the occasion of Worlds AIDS Day 1st December, the two agencies has organized the 24th Candle to Heart or Tian Song Jai event, from 30 November to 1 December at Chamchuree Department Store under the motto, early detection-swift treatment-stop AIDS. The second day of the event is presided over by HRH Princess Soamsawali.
The AIDS Research Center of the Thai Red Cross had also organized a special live coverage of the event to establish a funding for the World AIDS Day, during 27 November from 10:30pm on the Thailand Public Broadcasting Service Channel, featuring HRH Princess Soamsawali giving an interview on the importance of stopping the spread of the AIDS disease.
Dr. Sombat Tankunprasert, a medical expert of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, stated that The National Commission on the Prevention and AIDS has targeted that by the year 2030, Thailand will be free of new AIDS contractions. This agenda was included in the national strategy of combatting the AIDS disease 2014-2016, with various measures including the behavioral change of 90% of target groups and immediate treatment once the disease has been discovered.
During 2014, over 270,000 people had received the anti-viral medicine, amounting to 61% of all AIDS patients. The constant intake of the medicine will eliminate the threat of the virus gaining any resistances. The National Condom Strategy 2015-2019 will also be driven in unison towards the success in preventing new contractions of the AIDS virus in the preliminary phase.
Thailand stands at the forefront of the global stage, reducing contraction from 20-45% down to 2.1% in the year 2014. Children born from HIV-infected mothers are also reduced to 2%.
These accomplishments have granted the Kingdom a nomination from the United Nations as one of the first countries in the world that has successfully overcome the problem of HIV contraction from mother to child.
