HIV History in Nepal:
First found in 1988, HIV started as behavioural disease in Nepal. Current estimates shows that not less than 70,000( Low estimate 50,000 and high estimate 99,000) people are affected in this small country (.03% land of the world).
Not until recently, people used to be shy to talk on this issue within the professional works. Not lay man but health workers, todate find uneasy to discuss in this issue in some of the health care setting.
HIV prevalence in Nepal:
UNICEF estimates overall prevalence in Nepal is 0.5%, women (MTCT) with HIV ))positive status is 17,000 (till 2007). The most vulnerabl groups are ID users, Migrant populations, Sex workers and housewives.
Prevalence in Young people is 0.5% in male and 0.3% in female. However, only 44% of the young people have comprehensive knowledge in HIV. Condom use among young people who have knowledg is only 78%.
Another most growing cocern is the transmission of the disease in houswives. The data shows 49% were housewives among all infected women (2005 estimates, MOHP). The other group shows about 20% prevalence in migrant.
The most cocerned route for leading this staus is sexual contact.
Some of the steps going on to check the concentrated epidemic:
MDG goal taken as given the highest priority in program of Nepal has targeted to halt the infection by 2015 and reverse by then, the spread of HIV. The followings are the some of the actions going on to reach the MDG;
- Establishising District AIDS coordination committee (DACC) at district health system and local governing body
- Focal point in district (public ) health office to support DACC
-National Control for AIDS and STI Centre (NCASC)
- A technical committee at national level to provide guidance for NCASC
- Starting of PMTCT in different government hospitals
(I)NGO and Multilateral support has been the leading action in all of the activities. Including prevention activities, care and support, PMTCT and leading Government activities.
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Thanks for this Vishnu! Interesting to learn about the most vulnerable groups for HIV infection in your country. Why is it that housewives are considered most vulnerable? Is this due to husbands having extramarital affairs? Would this kind of behaviour by husbands be considered a norm in Nepalese culture?
ReplyDeleteLooking forward for more of your work on those most vulnerable in Nepal. Best, Alex
Very interesting data. thank you, Vishnu.
ReplyDeleteAs long as i understand from the first passage HIV related issues were taboo in your community as people were shy to openly discuss it. I wonder what factors made that situation happen.
I wanted to see whether the situations are similar with those of my community (Shymkent, Kazakhstan).
And as Alex commented above, I am also very interested to learn more about the infections among housewives as it is something really new for me.
Well done! Its an amazing and informative post.
Dear vishnu, wow.
ReplyDeleteThats the most precise and comprehensive information about HIV/AIDS situation in nepal.
Yes, ofcourse the patriarchial structure, male-dominant soceity, migratory behaviours of male for econocmic activity and indulgence in extramarital affairs, and when back in home, trasmit the infection to their wives, cannot say no or ask their men to have "HIV Test" due to lack of knowledge, inability to dialogue for their life, and fear of voilence.