The Ministry of Health and Sports of Myanmar launched the country’s latest five-year HIV plan on 17 May. The plan provides a road map on how to Fast-Track the national HIV response and end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.

Myanmar is one of the 35 countries accounting for 90% of new HIV infections globally. The new plan adapts global Fast-Track Targets to the local context to ensure an effective, cost-effective and high-impact HIV response. Locations are prioritized based on their HIV epidemic and risk of new HIV infections and service delivery approaches are tailored to reach priority populations and speed up access to services.

The ambitious plan aims to ensure the 90–90–90 targets—whereby 90% of people living with HIV know their HIV status, 90% of people who know their HIV-positive status are accessing treatment and 90% of people on treatment have suppressed viral loads—are met by 2020. The plan also aims to ensure that 90% of key populations access HIV prevention services and that 90% of people living with and affected by HIV report zero discrimination, especially in health, education and workplace settings.

During the launch, the Union Minister of the Ministry of Health and Sports, Myint Htwe, stressed the importance of translating the plan’s strategies into action. 

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UNAIDS and the Chinese media group StarTimes have signed a two-year memorandum of understanding to raise awareness about HIV in Africa and to work together to end the AIDS epidemic. UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and StarTimes’ President Pang Xinxing sealed the partnership during a meeting in Beijing, China, on 12 May.

Mr Sidibé thanked StarTimes for promoting cultural exchange between China and Africa. He said he believes strongly that the Chinese broadcaster plays a key role in reaching people, particularly in Africa.

During World AIDS Day 2016, two UNAIDS videos played on StarTimes’ African network in 30 countries, reaching millions of people in English, French and local languages.

The videos promoted the life-cycle approach to HIV prevention, which involves finding HIV solutions for everyone, at every stage of life.

Mr Pang reiterated StarTimes’ commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic. He said that StarTimes will use satellite technology to improve access to television throughout Africa.

StarTimes has agreed to provide media support and global outreach during UNAIDS campaigns, notably World AIDS Day 2017 and Zero Discrimination Day 2018. 

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In the lead-up to the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, the UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé, visited the headquarters of the Chinese news agency Xinhua, where he was interviewed on television.

Mr Sidibé met with Cai Mingzhao, the President of Xinhua, to discuss a highly successful partnership between the two organizations, through which the news agency has helped to promote important messages about ending AIDS. During the 2016 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, held in New York, United Sates of America, a UNAIDS video played on Xinhua’s screen in Times Square.

Mr Sidibé stressed how the news agency is a key partner through its efforts of reaching billions of people with life-saving messages. He added that their continued involvement is critical for China–Africa health cooperation and to keep HIV on the global agenda. 

Building bridges together is key, said Mr Cai, who reiterated Xinhua’s commitment to raising awareness and advocating around key issues related to ending the AIDS epidemic in China and globally.

The UNAIDS–Xinhua partnership dates back to 2011. Since then, two memorandums of understanding have been signed. Efforts carried out during the past six years include global media campaigns to promote public awareness of HIV and support for World AIDS Day activities.

The Belt and Road Forum, taking place on 14 and 15 May, aims to promote ties and cooperation between countries through the development of two major economic development projects—the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. In his television interview, Mr Sidibé highlighted that the Belt and Road initiative is an important platform for person-to-person connectivity—an issue that the AIDS response has championed.

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Thailand’s private sector has teamed up with civil society to launch the AIDS Almost Zero campaign, which aims to raise funds for HIV prevention initiatives run by community groups of key populations. Admiral Narong Pipatanasai, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, opened the campaign at the Government House of Thailand in Bangkok on 8 May.

Since the early days of Thailand’s epidemic, civil society has a played a crucial role in the HIV response by helping to reach key populations, including sex workers, gay men and other men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and transgender people. However, much of the funding for community organizations has come from international funding, which is no longer available since Thailand has attained middle-income status.

Since early 2015, UNAIDS in Thailand has been working with more than 30 civil society organizations to develop a resource mobilization consortium, which would help to cover the funding gap left by the withdrawal of international resources. In 2016, the consortium, led by the Raks Thai Foundation and the Thai National AIDS Foundation, organized a series of consultations with private sector representatives that were chaired by Anand Panyarachun, the former Prime Minister of Thailand. Thailand’s leading property developer, Sansiri Public Company Limited, participated in the consultations and provided financial support for the development of the AIDS Almost Zero campaign.

The speakers at the launch included Mechai Viravaidya, former minister of the Prime Minister’s office, Promboon Panitchpakdi, Executive Director of the Raks Thai Foundation, and Steve Kraus, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific.

The aim is to raise US$ 1.4 million in 2017. At the launch, organizers announced that more than US$ 60 000 had already been secured from the Siam Commercial Bank, the Sansiri Public Company and other donors. One promoter for Thai boxing plans to organize a match at one of the country’s most famous boxing stadiums, with some of the proceeds going to the fund.

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Veena has been living with HIV for more than 15 years. The community educator, who lives in Bangalore, India, has been on HIV treatment for more than a decade and says antiretroviral medicine has given her back her health and happiness.

“This medicine is very good. I am very happy,” said Veena. “My life has changed. I am learning three languages and working.”

There are 2.1 million people living with HIV in India, which has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world. On 28 April, during an event in New Delhi, Jagat Prakash Nadda, the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, announced a new test-and-treat policy that commits to providing access to HIV treatment for everyone living with HIV in the country. Prior to the change in policy, people living with HIV could only access antiretroviral medicine for free if their CD4 cells had decreased to less than 500 cells/mm³.

Mr Nadda also said that the ministry’s 90–90–90 strategy will identify 90% of people living with HIV, place 90% of people identified as living with HIV on treatment and ensure that 90% of people on treatment have sustained viral load suppression. “This strategy will offer us an opportunity to work towards our commitment made during the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS.”

People living with HIV in India often access treatment late. This was the case for Veena when she began taking medicine.

“I had lost a lot of weight and I had a high fever. I was tired and I couldn’t work,” said Veena. Initially she did not respond well to treatment, but slowly her weight started to increase and her immune system became better.

UNAIDS has called on all countries to provide HIV treatment to anyone who tests positive for HIV, because treatment keeps a person living with HIV healthy and has the double benefit of stopping the transmission of the virus to other people.

“The Government of India is showing bold leadership and commitment to people living with HIV,” said Steve Kraus, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific. “This new policy will bring life-saving treatment within reach of more than one million people living with HIV. It will keep individuals, families and communities healthy and productive and ensure that India ends its AIDS epidemic by 2030.”

To rapidly scale-up treatment, India will rely on its network of facilities spread across the country providing HIV services. Rolling out the new policy will also entail strengthening the procurement and supply chain management system as well as sustained community participation.

According to the country’s national AIDS programme, annual AIDS-related deaths declined by 54% between 2007 and 2015, while new HIV infections dropped by 32%. As more people living with HIV follow Veena onto treatment, the double benefits of antiretroviral medicines are expected to lead to a further decline in deaths and new HIV infections.

Veena has managed what she never thought possible: watch her daughter grow into a young adult.

“My life has a future. I don’t have a proper education, but my daughter has completed her degree. She is working. She is an empowered woman,” said Veena.

UNAIDS is working with countries to ensure that 30 million people living with HIV have access to HIV treatment by 2020.

A new campaign called #Live2LUV aims to promote information on sexual and reproductive health, including HIV, among young people in South-East Asian countries. UNAIDS, along with regional networks of young people, Youth Lead and Youth Voices Count, and the United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Population Fund, launched the campaign during the four-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Youth Summit in Manila, Philippines, which ends on 29 April.

“The #Live2LUV campaign will help to inspire, promote and educate young people on sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV, as well as reduce stigma towards young key populations in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region,” said Junelyn Tabelin of Youth LEAD.

In the Asia and Pacific region, young people (15–24 years old) account for 37% of new HIV infections. Data show that young people from key populations are at even higher risk of HIV infection than their older counterparts. For example, in Thailand, among young gay men and other men who have sex with men HIV prevalence is 11%, compared with 8.3% among gay men and other men who have sex with men who are 25 years and older.

According to behavioural studies in eight countries, comprehensive knowledge of HIV is low in many South-East Asian countries.

“I didn’t have the right information on HIV and I didn’t know how to protect myself,” said Relly Manlapaz, a 17-year-old transgender woman, who participated in a UNAIDS session at the youth summit. “Before joining the HIV advocacy work, I used to believe that one could get HIV through mosquito bites and by sharing utensils with someone living with HIV,” she added.

The #Live2LUV campaign will use social media to disseminate information on HIV prevention and treatment, and will encourage an enabling environment for young key populations with messages encouraging understanding, acceptance and zero discrimination.

The regional partners will work with local organizations in each of the 10 ASEAN countries to clear up misunderstanding about HIV and provide information in a youth-friendly manner. The campaign will cover different key HIV themes, as well as create a forum for young people to share their stories. A platform has been developed to host all the campaign materials and resources at www.hivandyouth.org. The eight-month-long social media campaign will culminate on World AIDS Day and will garner support from celebrities and influencers on social media.

UNAIDS is working with countries to ensure that, by 2020, 90% of young people have the skills, knowledge and capacity to protect themselves from HIV and have access to sexual and reproductive health services.

UNAIDS has appointed Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2015, as a Goodwill Ambassador for Asia and the Pacific. The announcement was made at a special event with students at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Philippines.

“I am very happy to be a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Asia and the Pacific,” said Ms Wurtzbach. “I’m overwhelmed. It’s been a dream of mine to work with the United Nations. I will do my best. I will use my voice for this cause.”

In her new role, Ms Wurtzbach will raise HIV awareness among young people and promote zero discrimination towards people living with HIV and key populations, including men who have sex with men and transgender people.

“Many young people still do not have the skills and knowledge to protect themselves from HIV,” said Steve Kraus, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific. “With her huge popularity among young fans and immense following on social media, Ms Wurtzbach will amplify our efforts and help end the AIDS epidemic in the region.”

Ms Wurtzbach has been actively involved in humanitarian affairs, speaking out against cyberbullying and supporting people living with HIV, as well as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community. During her reign as Miss Universe, she had an HIV test in front of cameras to encourage people to know their HIV status, and attended the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS in New York, United States of America.

The appointment event was attended by young people from different universities in the Metro Manila area, as well as representatives of the United Nations, government officials, the media and the Act!2030 Philippines network and other community groups representing young people and key populations.

The Asia and Pacific region has made progress in its HIV response, with new infections dropping by 5% among people of all ages between 2010 and 2015. However, in 2015, young people accounted for 37% of new HIV infections and data analysis indicates that there is a significant epidemic of HIV among an increasingly younger group of gay men and other men who have sex with men in urban areas of South-East Asia and China.

Surveys conducted in eight countries in Asia found that comprehensive knowledge of HIV among young people is low, increasing their vulnerability to HIV. UNAIDS and its partners are conducting an HIV awareness campaign for youth on social media with the hashtag #Live2LUV and Ms Wurtzbach will be helping to promote this campaign as part of her new advocacy role.

Ayushi Tripathi is a student at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, a city in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

She explains that she comes from a family where talking about sex is taboo. “We never talk about it at home. Even seeing an advertisement about condoms is uncomfortable for my parents,” she said. But nonetheless, she was intent on attending a youth health workshop.

This week, she joined 27 other students for a three-day workshop to raise young people’s awareness of their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The training was led by the Dove Foundation, a youth-led organization based in Varanasi and supported by UNAIDS. The advocacy materials used were developed by the PACT, a global coalition of 25 youth networks working on HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

“When I was younger, I didn’t have knowledge on where to get information and access to HIV services,” Ms Tripathi said. “Until I took this workshop, I had no idea that young people in India face challenges in accessing HIV testing and services.”

Monique Long from the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network led the training, which provided youth and adolescents with the skills and information necessary to tackle the different barriers affecting their health.

“Working with this diverse group of intelligent and energetic young people reminds me of why we say youth are the future. This training also reaffirms that youth right here and right now have the capacity and the will to do amazing things to change the world,” Ms Long said.

Asia and the Pacific is the region with the largest number of young people in the world. In the region, people are starting sex at an increasingly younger age and having multiple sex partners, placing young people at higher risk of HIV.

During the training, the participants stressed how many countries are not tailoring their programmes to young people. For example, India requires people under 18 years old to have parental consent for HIV and other sexual and reproductive health services. Comprehensive sexuality education is often not taught in schools. The low levels of HIV knowledge and discrimination faced in health-care settings further exacerbate the situation.

The PACT and UNAIDS have been working with governments and other partners in advocating for the revision and reform of age of consent laws. The training provided young people with the techniques and skills needed for prioritizing advocacy issues, mapping different stakeholders, crafting key advocacy messages and lobbying.

“UNAIDS knows that the future of the HIV response lies in the hands of young people,” said Aries Valeriano, Youth Officer at the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific. “We are working hand in hand with youth organizations and community groups to break down the barriers that young people face and that keep them from staying healthy and productive.”

After completing the workshop, Ms Tripathi said she plans to start a community of advocates at her university to push for ending the age of consent laws in India. As Ms Tripathi received her completion certificate, she beamed. “The workshop helped to open my eyes on social activism,” she said. “I am so inspired and hope to really influence policies in my university and beyond.”

UNAIDS is working to ensure that the target in the 2016 United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS of ensuring that 90% of young people have the skills, knowledge and capacity to protect themselves from HIV and have access to sexual and reproductive health services by 2020, in order to reduce the number of new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women to below 100 000 per year, is met.

Hendro was a driver for a private company in Jakarta, Indonesia, when a colleague introduced him to heroin two years ago.

“I started to get addicted,” said Hendro, who prefers to use his first name only. “Soon, my body didn’t feel good if I wasn’t consuming drugs. I couldn’t concentrate. This lasted for about seven months before my life descended into chaos.”

His work suffered and he got into daily arguments with his wife. He would whisper to himself, “This is not right. I will destroy myself. Every day, I kept trying to stay away from drugs, but the craving for the drug was so painful. It was unimaginable.”

One day Hendro heard about an innovative drug programme based in a large house in Bogor, an hour outside of Jakarta. The cheerful building with a freshly cut lawn exudes a warm and friendly atmosphere, which is accentuated by two dogs who greet visitors with a couple of friendly sniffs.

Sam Nugraha founded Rumah Singgah PEKA in 2010. “PEKA is different from other treatment centres, because it is fully voluntary,” he said. “Every client has made their own decision to participate.”

There are 4 million people who inject drugs in the Asia and the Pacific region—that’s one third of the people who inject drugs globally. This places the region at the forefront of the largest injecting drug problem in the world.

A common response to drug use in the region is the confinement of people who inject drugs in compulsory treatment and rehabilitation centres.

“PEKA’s approach cannot be applied to everyone. Clients have to be conscious of what they need to do and ready to make changes,” said Mr Nugraha.

Before participants enrol in PEKA, they undergo a lengthy assessment to determine if the facility fits their needs.

“When I came to PEKA I was determined to recover and to rediscover the person who was lost because of drugs,” recalled Hendro.

Clients discuss with their counsellors the best treatment plan. They can choose to live in or outside of PEKA, but if they opt for the boarding option, they must respect the facility’s zero tolerance for the consumption of drugs while on its premises. Some clients select complete abstinence, others enrol in opioid substitution therapy and for those who wish to continue to inject drugs, PEKA has a needle and syringe programme. All clients are encouraged to have group and individual therapy sessions.

“Ninety per cent of our staff have experience with using drugs,” said Mr Nugraha, “so they understand the challenges clients are facing, as well as the type of support they need.”

Hendro decided to board and to participate in the methadone maintenance treatment programme. A counsellor accompanied him to a public clinic, where the doctor determined his optimal dose of methadone. He started off with 50 mg every day, but after a year has been bringing the dose down.

PEKA works in partnership with public clinics. Staff not only accompany clients to access methadone, but pick up a five-day supply of methadone for individuals who have established a steady routine and bring it back to the facility.

“Public health clinics have limited working hours and so we fill the gap by providing 24-hour services,” said Mr Nugraha. “People can come here at any time.”

Agustina Susana Iswati, Head of the Gedung Badak Health Clinic, agreed. “The cooperation with community groups is very much needed as they know what is really happening.”

People who inject drugs are vulnerable to HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs is higher than 30% in several Asian cities. Only 30% of people who inject drugs in Asia and the Pacific know their HIV status.

“We offer all our clients access to HIV testing. If the test result is positive, we help them start antiretroviral therapy as soon as possible,” said Mr Nugraha.

Evi Afifah, who is with the Mahdi Bogor Hospital, finds the collaboration with PEKA on HIV services helpful. “PEKA helps us reach our friends who are most in need of HIV testing, treatment and care,” she said.

Since 2010, PEKA has provided a range of services to almost 1000 clients. Follow-up surveys conducted with people who went through the full treatment programme indicate promising results. A significant number of clients reported that their drug dependency and quality of life had improved and their involvement in criminal activities had sharply declined.

This success has won local recognition. The organization was recognized by the Mayor of Bogor as an excellent institution in 2014 and 2016.

“PEKA is an organization that has gone through the test of time,” said Bima Arya Sugiarto, Mayor of Bogor. “With its vast experience, PEKA deserves our recognition, which can also motivate other community groups to be consistent and focused in their work.”

Perhaps the most important endorsement for PEKA is its clients, some of whom now work for the organization.

Iko, who is an HIV peer counsellor, said, “Aside from helping other people who use drugs, I am actually helping myself. That’s the main point. It makes me happy.”

After nine months of living at PEKA, Hendro was able to return home to his family and start working again as a driver. His experience was life-changing.

“At PEKA, I felt embraced as part of a family again. When I was using drugs, I was estranged and abandoned. Here, I found strength again,” said Hendro.

UNAIDS is working to support countries to reach the targets set out in the 2016 United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS, which include ensuring access to combination HIV prevention options, including harm reduction, for 90% of people who inject drugs.

The Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Institute in Nonthaburi is one of Thailand’s premier hospitals in AIDS treatment and care. Its waiting rooms welcome many patients. This month, people waiting for appointments will see on hospital screens stories about people living with HIV who overcame stigma thanks to support from their communities. Bamrasnaradura is one of around 1000 hospitals in Thailand that have joined the zero discrimination in health-care settings campaign.

The Ministry of Public Health of Thailand, the Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (TNP+) and UNAIDS launched the campaign on 2 March at Bamrasnaradura. 

“More than 30 years since HIV was detected in Thailand, stigma still remains a major challenge,” said Jessada Chokdamrongsuk, Director-General, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health. “Thailand is committed to ensuring health-care settings are safe and supportive environments.”

The campaign features a video with a short message from the popular Thai singer and UNAIDS National Goodwill Ambassador for Thailand, Chalatit Tantiwut, in which he encourages everyone to join the zero discrimination movement.

“Discriminating against anybody for any reason is always out of bounds,” said Mr Chalatit. “Making music is what I do best and I think it’s my duty to contribute to society and make some noise about zero discrimination.”

This initiative is part of an ongoing effort by the Ministry of Thailand to tackle stigmatizing behaviours and attitudes among staff towards people living with HIV. A survey of 1600 Thai health-care workers showed that more than 60% of workers feared an HIV infection while performing routine tasks and 90% admitted to at least one stigmatizing attitude.

The Ministry of Public Health, with support from civil society, UNAIDS and the United States Agency for International Development, has developed a comprehensive stigma reduction programme that is gradually being scaled-up to include all public hospitals.

“Thailand is showing how to tackle HIV-related stigma and discrimination in hospitals and clinics, “said Tatiana Shoumilina, UNAIDS Country Director for Thailand. “This problem is persistent and pervasive in many parts of the world. Only by overcoming this challenge will we Fast-Track the response to HIV and end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat.”

“Zero Discrimination Day on 1 of March is now a well-recognized event both in Thailand and globally,” said Apiwat Kwangkaew of TNP+. “However, I would like to urge people to practice zero discrimination every day. Fear of HIV transmission and prejudice against people living with HIV are holding back access to treatment and care, employment and education.”

Thailand’s HIV-related stigma reduction programme for health-care workers is one of the world’s most ambitious initiatives and it has been such a success that it is being adapted and implemented in other South-East Asian countries.

After a survey in 2014 of people living with HIV found that stigma and discrimination in health-care settings was a significant issue in Viet Nam, health officials started exploring best practices and the Thai model seemed a good example.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the Viet Nam Administration for AIDS Control, with support from UNAIDS, has started pilot-testing the programme. The initiative began with a survey of three hospitals in the city, which led to a programme for health workers tailored to the Vietnamese context. A training in how to capacitate health-care workers to reduce stigmatizing attitudes and behaviours is under way in the city from the 28 February to 3 March.

“We will conduct an assessment at the end of this pilot project. I hope the lessons learned from this pilot will help further improve the methodology of measuring HIV-related discrimination in health-care settings and programme approaches, so we can expand the practice nationwide,” said Hoang Dinh Canh, Vice-Director, Viet Nam Administration for AIDS Control.

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is also adapting Thailand’s initiative and Myanmar has expressed an interest in a similar approach. Discrimination is a barrier to accessing health services for people living with HIV globally, which is why UNAIDS dedicated this year’s Zero Discrimination Day on 1 March to elimination discrimination in health-care settings.