Thailand is preparing to host an international conference on AIDS, between December 13th and 16th in Chiang Mai.
Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Diseases Control Department, said today (Wednesday) that the 51st UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board Meeting will focus on three main topics:
-Community-led responses
-Global partnership to eliminate all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination
-HIV and men, in all their diversity and how can we get our responses back on track.
Representatives from 22 countries, UN agencies, the 11 organisations which are co-sponsoring this event and five non-governmental organisations will participate.
Thailand hosted the last UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board Meeting in 2008.
According to the Thai Ministry of Public Health’s statistics for last year, there were about 490,000 AIDS patients, including 5,800 new cases. The death toll last year was 11,200. A daily average of 16 new infections were reported, but Thailand has set a target to reduce new infections to 1,000 a year by 2030.
The government allocated 3.6 billion baht in the 2021 fiscal year for AIDS patients, an increase of 332 million baht from the previous year. More than 289,000 patients have received anti-viral drugs under the “Gold Card” health scheme.
