UNESCO Expands Efforts to Prevent HIV/AIDS Among Men Having Sex with Men in Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam

 

The American Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have provided an additional grant to UNESCO to continue ongoing pilot interventions, research and coordination efforts to improve HIV prevention, care and support services for men having sex with men (MSM) in Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam. The new funds complement ongoing funding provided by CDC and UNAIDS.

 

Men having sex with men are especially vulnerable to HIV, not only because their sexual behaviors can put them at increased risk for HIV, but also because prevailing stigma and discrimination against homosexuality in society often prevent them from seeking appropriate information, care and support related to HIV/AIDS. Recent studies have shown HIV/AIDS prevalence among MSM of more than 17% in Bangkok and nearly 15% in Phnom Penh (CDC 2004; FHI 2002). HIV vulnerability among MSM in Viet Nam was found to be high in the UNESCO research in Haiphong as well as in other recent research (FHI 2004 – to be published, Colby 2003).

 

In Viet Nam, UNESCO Hanoi and the Provincial Health Department of Haiphong Province have conducted baseline research, based on which a peer education project by and for local MSM is now implemented. UNESCO Hanoi and UNAIDS have also played a role in improving coordination and planning of HIV/AIDS interventions for this group by regularly bringing together a group of interested partner agencies, including FHI, POLICY, CDC, PSI, CARE and local NGOs. It is expected a national seminar advising the Government on what policies and strategies are needed to prevent HIV/AIDS, reduce stigma and discrimination and provide better health services to MSM in the country will be held in 2005, jointly supported by UNESCO, UNAIDS and partner agencies.

 

In Cambodia, UNESCO, in partnership with UNICEF, supports Inthanou, an existing hotline project. The aim here is not to establish a separate MSM project but to integrate issues relevant to MSM and to male sexual health into Inthanou’s existing project operations. A website and IEC materials were also developed. Research on how to provide counseling to MSM, especially focusing on ‘life options’ related to societal pressure to get married and get children, is being analysed at the moment. Life histories from around 25 Cambodian MSM were conducted for this purpose by a Cambodian anthropologist.

 

In Thailand, UNESCO is supporting a small project to find effective methods for preventing HIV among MSM who use the internet to find sex partners. The project consists of a website (www.healthgay.com) and two project staff who maintain the website and provide on-line counseling. Referral to HIV testing and counseling services, advice on condom and lubricant use and clarification of misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and about homosexuality are part of the project activities. With the Ministry of Public Health, a National coordination and planning workshop was held in Bangkok in 2004, which will be followed up with regional coordination meetings in Chiang Mai and one other Thai city during 2005.

 

It is expected that with the newly received funds, UNESCO will expand MSM project activities to Lao PDR during 2005.

 

The ultimate aim of all these activities is to improve policies and strategies aimed at reducing HIV transmission among MSM in the participating countries, and make them more effective – in other words, to make sure the lessons learned from these pilot interventions, as well as from pilot project activities and research conducted by partner agencies, are translated into solid advise to policy makers.

 

(Article written by Jan Wijngaarden for the UNESCO Bangkok Newsletter, UNESCO Bangkok, 17 January 2005)