Asia-Pacific faces a HIV epidemic among adolescents – report
The Asia-Pacific region is facing a ‘hidden epidemic’ of HIV among adolescents, according to a new report by a United Nations team.
There were an estimated 50,000 new HIV infections among adolescents aged 15-19 in 2014, said the Asia-Pacific Inter-Agency Task Team on Young Key Populations in its report released Monday. In total, there are now 220,000 adolescents living with HIV in the region, the report added.
Large cities like Bangkok, Hanoi and Jakarta are “hubs of new infections” for the age group.
While new HIV infections are falling overall, they are rising among adolescents from key populations, particularly among young gay men.
The report urged governments to develop better data on adolescents and strategies for HIV prevention.
Daniel Toole, Regional Director for UNICEF East Asia and Pacific, said, “UNICEF is working with governments throughout the Asia-Pacific region to ensure they meet their obligations to protect adolescents’ health, including by providing access to adolescent-sensitive HIV testing and treatment services.”
Comprehensive sexuality education in schools and information on where to get an HIV test, and condom use, are among the other recommendations set out in the report.
Among countries where data are available, the report said Papua New Guinea and the Philippines have the highest proportion of adolescents living with HIV. In each of the two countries, adolescents accounted for almost 10 per cent of total people living with HIV.
