By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: The Geological Survey of India has found Thorium reserves in the backward district of Nalgonda. The values of this radioactive element ranged between 104 and 165 parts per million.
This is the first time that Thorium reserves have been observed in Nalgonda. The district is already famous for its Uranium mines and with the detection of Thorium, Nalgonda is going to play a major role in meeting the future power needs of the country.
Andhra Pradesh is one of the few States in the country with vast resources of Thorium and Uranium, the two important radioactive elements required for generation of nuclear energy.
The GSI carried out low altitude magnetic and radiometric aerogeophysical surveys spread over 5000 sq km area in and around Nalgonda district. During the surveys, the GSI found significant radioactive anomaly. The area where the Thorium resources was found forms part of Eastern Dharwar Craton.
Granite rich in biotite (black mica) near Jangammaiahguda showed Thorium values of the order of 165 ppm. In the same area, the GSI also found Uranium ranging between 66 and 138 ppm.
The biotite granite in Mathmurigudem also showed Thorium. But the values varied from 35 ppm to 55 ppm. The Uranium values in the village ranged from 38 to 53 ppm. The GSI found a mineralised zone of Scheelite (tungsten ore) near Guddipalli village.
According to GSI officials, the State has the largest resources of Monazite, a mineral of Thorium, in the country. The city-based Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research has identified 3.73 million tonnes of Monazite at 21 places spread over Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Vishakapatnam, East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts. In addition to these places, the GSI has found Thorium resources in Nalgonda, which is a land-locked district, unlike the coastal belt.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Swine flu: Dry spell saves Hyderabad from novel pandemic influenza H1N1
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Aug 11: The continued dry spell and above normal temperatures so far this rainy season have saved Hyderabad from the wrath of swine flu, while low temperatures played havoc in Pune.
Hyderabad initially led the swine flu cases in the country but the prolonged dry spell helped in the containment of the novel H1N1 virus that causes human influenza. Above normal temperatures coupled with proper planning by health authorities arrested the spread of the virus in the community. Unlike in Pune, the human influenza virus has not penetrated into the local community. Hyderabad has thus far recorded 74 positive cases and only a couple of them are locally contacted cases.
While day temperatures hovered between 33 and 37 degrees C in Hyderabad, the mercury did not cross 28 degrees C in the last 10 days in Pune. Added to the low temperature was the cloudy sky. In Pune the virus has penetrated into the community as all the fresh cases reported from there have been local residents.
"The climate has been cold in Pune and for several days we have not seen the sun in full brightness. The day temperature was also below normal," said G Dayanidhi, who frequents between Pune and Hyderabad on business.
Pune now leads the swine flu cases with about 270 positive cases and five of the 10 deaths reported in the country. In cold climate, the aerosols stay longer carrying the virus and thus the chances of infection are high during winter and rainy seasons.
"While environmental factors like low temperatures help in the fast spread of influenza virus, the host and viral factors determine the survival or otherwise of the patient. In case of Hyderabad, above normal temperatures helped in the containment of the virus. Since Pune has the maximum number of cases, it also
leads in terms of fatalities. The immunity of a patient (host) and the potent of the virus decide the fate," said senior physician Dr Aftab Ahmed of Apollo Hospitals.
Location of international airport in Hyderabad has also helped in the arrest of the virus from spreading to the locals. Those with swine flu symptoms were quarantined at the airport level itself and those who came into close contact with them had been kept under medical surveillance. But in the case of Pune, the international passengers, with the virus, landed in Mumbai airport and later spread the disease in the community.
Hyderabad district medical and health officer Dr Ch Jayakumari said they had prevented the virus from going to the secondary level in Hyderabad. "Had it gone into the community, it would have been catastrophic. Moreover, those in Hyderabad are nutritionally in an advantageous stage as compared to those living in western India," she said.
Hyderabad, Aug 11: The continued dry spell and above normal temperatures so far this rainy season have saved Hyderabad from the wrath of swine flu, while low temperatures played havoc in Pune.
Hyderabad initially led the swine flu cases in the country but the prolonged dry spell helped in the containment of the novel H1N1 virus that causes human influenza. Above normal temperatures coupled with proper planning by health authorities arrested the spread of the virus in the community. Unlike in Pune, the human influenza virus has not penetrated into the local community. Hyderabad has thus far recorded 74 positive cases and only a couple of them are locally contacted cases.
While day temperatures hovered between 33 and 37 degrees C in Hyderabad, the mercury did not cross 28 degrees C in the last 10 days in Pune. Added to the low temperature was the cloudy sky. In Pune the virus has penetrated into the community as all the fresh cases reported from there have been local residents.
"The climate has been cold in Pune and for several days we have not seen the sun in full brightness. The day temperature was also below normal," said G Dayanidhi, who frequents between Pune and Hyderabad on business.
Pune now leads the swine flu cases with about 270 positive cases and five of the 10 deaths reported in the country. In cold climate, the aerosols stay longer carrying the virus and thus the chances of infection are high during winter and rainy seasons.
"While environmental factors like low temperatures help in the fast spread of influenza virus, the host and viral factors determine the survival or otherwise of the patient. In case of Hyderabad, above normal temperatures helped in the containment of the virus. Since Pune has the maximum number of cases, it also
leads in terms of fatalities. The immunity of a patient (host) and the potent of the virus decide the fate," said senior physician Dr Aftab Ahmed of Apollo Hospitals.
Location of international airport in Hyderabad has also helped in the arrest of the virus from spreading to the locals. Those with swine flu symptoms were quarantined at the airport level itself and those who came into close contact with them had been kept under medical surveillance. But in the case of Pune, the international passengers, with the virus, landed in Mumbai airport and later spread the disease in the community.
Hyderabad district medical and health officer Dr Ch Jayakumari said they had prevented the virus from going to the secondary level in Hyderabad. "Had it gone into the community, it would have been catastrophic. Moreover, those in Hyderabad are nutritionally in an advantageous stage as compared to those living in western India," she said.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
ICAAP9: Removal of punitive laws essential for effective AIDS responses in Asia-Pacific
By Syed Akbar
Bali, Aug 12: UN agencies, legal experts and human rights defenders at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) concur that crafting an effective AIDS response in the region will require addressing legal
barriers that are impeding progress.
Throughout the week, scientists, legal experts, activists, people living with HIV and
community representatives will discuss challenges and progress in addressing legal barriers to achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010.
Experts from the Commission on AIDS in Asia concluded that in order to prevent and control HIV in the region, there must be a significant focus on improving human rights protections for people living with HIV and typically marginalized populations such as men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, people who use drugs, prisoners and detainees.
According to Kyung wha-Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights), “we have known for years that human rights are the bedrock upon which effective AIDS responses are built. In spite
of this, human rights violations continue to proliferate. Human rights frameworks and principles must be translated into real protections for people living with HIV, men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, people who
use drugs, prisoners and detainees. We must also pay specific attention to ensuring protections for women and children.”
According to JVR Prasada Rao, Director of the Joint UN Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) Asia-Pacific Regional Support Team, “in spite of recent progress, insufficient coverage of services for people living with HIV, men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers and people who use drugs is still a reality and the lack of legal protections just drive these populations underground – far out of the reach of the meager services that do exist. If we don’t invest in strengthening legal protections for people living with HIV, women, men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers and people who use drugs, we will jeopardize the gains we have made in the region. This is why the UNAIDS family has recently reinvigorated its collective efforts to advocate for the removal of punitive laws, policies and practices which are thwarting effective HIV responses. This also
means stepping up action to tackle inappropriate criminalization.”
According to Jeffrey O’Malley, Director of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) HIV Group, “the law can and should be instrumental in scaling up a rights based AIDS response. Instead, we often have situations where laws and their
arbitrary, inappropriate enforcement are increasing risk and vulnerability – thereby posing formidable barriers to effective HIV responses for those most vulnerable and the general population.”
According to O’Malley, “laws which criminalize sex work are used to blackmail, exploit and harass sex workers and sex workers often experience violence at the hands of police and service providers. Violence and harassment often extends to outreach workers, service providers and human rights defenders. Laws which criminalize drug use hamper the implementation of evidence based harm reduction services.
Laws which do not uphold women’s property and inheritance rights can set off a
downward spiral of lost economic opportunities, reduced security and increased risk and vulnerability for women and girls.
Many countries in the Asia Pacific region criminalize male to male sex and these laws often lead to violations of the rights of men who have sex with men and transgender people. ”
According to Anand Grover, Director of the Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit and UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, “there have been a number of success stories in the region which give us hope. Courts in Nepal, India and Pakistan have been instrumental in recognizing and upholding the rights of sexual minorities. This means that they will no longer be considered criminals in accessing life-saving prevention, care and treatment services. We hope that other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and across the globe will follow suit.”
Community representatives and activists note in order to effectively overcome legal barriers and remove punitive laws, it is critical to build robust strategic alliances across traditional and non-traditional constituencies and between groups of people living with HIV and other key populations, women’s groups, affected communities, service providers, the legal profession, law enforcement agencies, human rights bodies, parliamentarians and policy makers.
The momentum for reversing the tide of punitive laws, policies and practices must be sustained for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support to be effective. And in the context of a global financial and economic crisis, it is both cost-effective and a moral imperative to implement legal and social programmes which counter discrimination and stigmatization.
Bali, Aug 12: UN agencies, legal experts and human rights defenders at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) concur that crafting an effective AIDS response in the region will require addressing legal
barriers that are impeding progress.
Throughout the week, scientists, legal experts, activists, people living with HIV and
community representatives will discuss challenges and progress in addressing legal barriers to achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010.
Experts from the Commission on AIDS in Asia concluded that in order to prevent and control HIV in the region, there must be a significant focus on improving human rights protections for people living with HIV and typically marginalized populations such as men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, people who use drugs, prisoners and detainees.
According to Kyung wha-Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights), “we have known for years that human rights are the bedrock upon which effective AIDS responses are built. In spite
of this, human rights violations continue to proliferate. Human rights frameworks and principles must be translated into real protections for people living with HIV, men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, people who
use drugs, prisoners and detainees. We must also pay specific attention to ensuring protections for women and children.”
According to JVR Prasada Rao, Director of the Joint UN Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) Asia-Pacific Regional Support Team, “in spite of recent progress, insufficient coverage of services for people living with HIV, men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers and people who use drugs is still a reality and the lack of legal protections just drive these populations underground – far out of the reach of the meager services that do exist. If we don’t invest in strengthening legal protections for people living with HIV, women, men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers and people who use drugs, we will jeopardize the gains we have made in the region. This is why the UNAIDS family has recently reinvigorated its collective efforts to advocate for the removal of punitive laws, policies and practices which are thwarting effective HIV responses. This also
means stepping up action to tackle inappropriate criminalization.”
According to Jeffrey O’Malley, Director of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) HIV Group, “the law can and should be instrumental in scaling up a rights based AIDS response. Instead, we often have situations where laws and their
arbitrary, inappropriate enforcement are increasing risk and vulnerability – thereby posing formidable barriers to effective HIV responses for those most vulnerable and the general population.”
According to O’Malley, “laws which criminalize sex work are used to blackmail, exploit and harass sex workers and sex workers often experience violence at the hands of police and service providers. Violence and harassment often extends to outreach workers, service providers and human rights defenders. Laws which criminalize drug use hamper the implementation of evidence based harm reduction services.
Laws which do not uphold women’s property and inheritance rights can set off a
downward spiral of lost economic opportunities, reduced security and increased risk and vulnerability for women and girls.
Many countries in the Asia Pacific region criminalize male to male sex and these laws often lead to violations of the rights of men who have sex with men and transgender people. ”
According to Anand Grover, Director of the Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit and UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, “there have been a number of success stories in the region which give us hope. Courts in Nepal, India and Pakistan have been instrumental in recognizing and upholding the rights of sexual minorities. This means that they will no longer be considered criminals in accessing life-saving prevention, care and treatment services. We hope that other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and across the globe will follow suit.”
Community representatives and activists note in order to effectively overcome legal barriers and remove punitive laws, it is critical to build robust strategic alliances across traditional and non-traditional constituencies and between groups of people living with HIV and other key populations, women’s groups, affected communities, service providers, the legal profession, law enforcement agencies, human rights bodies, parliamentarians and policy makers.
The momentum for reversing the tide of punitive laws, policies and practices must be sustained for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support to be effective. And in the context of a global financial and economic crisis, it is both cost-effective and a moral imperative to implement legal and social programmes which counter discrimination and stigmatization.
ICAAP9: 90 per cent of men having sex with men in Asia Pacific have no access to HIV prevention and care
By Syed Akbar
Bali, Aug 12: More than 90 per cent of men having sex with men (MSM) in Asia Pacific do not have access to HIV prevention and care services, and if interventions are not urgently intensified the spread of HIV in this vulnerable population will escalate sharply in the very near future.
Moreover, legal frameworks across the region need a dramatic and urgent overhaul to allow public health and community sectors to reach out to MSM, or the consequences could be dire and stretch well beyond MSM to affect the general population.
This warning came at a high level and ground breaking symposium – “Overcoming Legal Barriers to Comprehensive Prevention Among Men who have Sex with Men and Transgender People in Asia and the Pacific” -- held at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) today, and hosted by the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM).
Speakers discussed how effective and comprehensive HIV prevention among MSM and transgender (TG) people can occur only when a conducive and enabling legal environment is created that allows unimpeded dissemination of prevention messages and services; appropriate provision of treatment, care and support services; and confidence-building measures among the most marginalized and vulnerable to seek essential information and access services.
“In order to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and realize the Millennium Development Goals, we must facilitate an enabling legal environment and human rights based HIV policies and programmes for MSM and TG,” said Jeffrey O’Malley, Global Director of UNDP’s HIV Group, among the speakers at the symposium. “This will mean stepping up our investment in legal and social programmes which effectively address stigma and discrimination directed at MSM and TG.”
Due to the increased availability in recent years of epidemiological data on HIV among MSM, there is a better understanding of the magnitude and nature of the HIV epidemic amongst MSM and TG within the Asia Pacific region. However, there remains a dangerous lack of interventions which comprehensively address HIV prevention, treatment, care and support needs for MSM and TG.
A 2006 survey of the coverage of HIV interventions in 15 Asia Pacific countries estimated that targeted prevention programmes reached less than 8% of MSM and TG, far short of the 80% coverage that epidemiological models indicate is needed to turn the HIV epidemic around.
“A strategy of prevention requires bold and effective legal and policy measures to reach out to vulnerable communities and individuals at risk,” stated the Honourable Michael Kirby of Australia. “It is here that reform of laws concerning MSM must be seen as an imperative step in the path of reducing the isolation, stigma and
vulnerability felt by MSM communities and individuals. This will help enhance their self-respect and dignity as citizens and protect their legal rights, including receiving information on safer sex practices.”
Currently 22 countries in the Asia Pacific region criminalize male to male sex, and these laws often taken on the force of vigilantism, leading to abuse and human rights violations. Even in the absence of criminalization, other provisions of law violate the rights of MSM and TG along with arbitrary and inappropriate enforcement, thereby obstructing HIV interventions, advocacy and outreach, and service delivery.
These structural barriers significantly increase the vulnerability of MSM and TG to HIV infection and have an immense adverse effect on their health and human rights.
Developing strategic partnerships and alliances between affected communities, the legal profession, human rights bodies, parliamentarians and policy makers is critical.
This very debate was at the heart of the recent landmark ruling by the Delhi High Court that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unfairly discriminates against MSM and consenting adults in general.
“The Delhi ruling is a shining example of such an approach, where education and sensitization of these different sectors was central to the success of the case,” said Shivananda Khan, Interim Chair of APCOM.
“Other key rulings in the region include the 2007 Nepal Supreme Court ruling recognizing the rights of sexual minorities, and the June 2009 Pakistan Supreme Court ruling that hijras or transgendered individuals, are a minority community in the legal sense of the term.”
Given the current global economic crisis and the ever-mounting bill for life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, the impetus for effective comprehensive HIV prevention becomes even stronger. Only a strategy of comprehensive, rights-based prevention, supported by an enabling legal environment, offers a possibility of reducing the numbers of persons infected with HIV each year.
In this context, it is both cost-effective and imperative that governments and other key players introduce and implement legal and social frameworks and programmes which counter discrimination and stigmatization that have long targeted MSM and TG.
Bali, Aug 12: More than 90 per cent of men having sex with men (MSM) in Asia Pacific do not have access to HIV prevention and care services, and if interventions are not urgently intensified the spread of HIV in this vulnerable population will escalate sharply in the very near future.
Moreover, legal frameworks across the region need a dramatic and urgent overhaul to allow public health and community sectors to reach out to MSM, or the consequences could be dire and stretch well beyond MSM to affect the general population.
This warning came at a high level and ground breaking symposium – “Overcoming Legal Barriers to Comprehensive Prevention Among Men who have Sex with Men and Transgender People in Asia and the Pacific” -- held at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) today, and hosted by the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM).
Speakers discussed how effective and comprehensive HIV prevention among MSM and transgender (TG) people can occur only when a conducive and enabling legal environment is created that allows unimpeded dissemination of prevention messages and services; appropriate provision of treatment, care and support services; and confidence-building measures among the most marginalized and vulnerable to seek essential information and access services.
“In order to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and realize the Millennium Development Goals, we must facilitate an enabling legal environment and human rights based HIV policies and programmes for MSM and TG,” said Jeffrey O’Malley, Global Director of UNDP’s HIV Group, among the speakers at the symposium. “This will mean stepping up our investment in legal and social programmes which effectively address stigma and discrimination directed at MSM and TG.”
Due to the increased availability in recent years of epidemiological data on HIV among MSM, there is a better understanding of the magnitude and nature of the HIV epidemic amongst MSM and TG within the Asia Pacific region. However, there remains a dangerous lack of interventions which comprehensively address HIV prevention, treatment, care and support needs for MSM and TG.
A 2006 survey of the coverage of HIV interventions in 15 Asia Pacific countries estimated that targeted prevention programmes reached less than 8% of MSM and TG, far short of the 80% coverage that epidemiological models indicate is needed to turn the HIV epidemic around.
“A strategy of prevention requires bold and effective legal and policy measures to reach out to vulnerable communities and individuals at risk,” stated the Honourable Michael Kirby of Australia. “It is here that reform of laws concerning MSM must be seen as an imperative step in the path of reducing the isolation, stigma and
vulnerability felt by MSM communities and individuals. This will help enhance their self-respect and dignity as citizens and protect their legal rights, including receiving information on safer sex practices.”
Currently 22 countries in the Asia Pacific region criminalize male to male sex, and these laws often taken on the force of vigilantism, leading to abuse and human rights violations. Even in the absence of criminalization, other provisions of law violate the rights of MSM and TG along with arbitrary and inappropriate enforcement, thereby obstructing HIV interventions, advocacy and outreach, and service delivery.
These structural barriers significantly increase the vulnerability of MSM and TG to HIV infection and have an immense adverse effect on their health and human rights.
Developing strategic partnerships and alliances between affected communities, the legal profession, human rights bodies, parliamentarians and policy makers is critical.
This very debate was at the heart of the recent landmark ruling by the Delhi High Court that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unfairly discriminates against MSM and consenting adults in general.
“The Delhi ruling is a shining example of such an approach, where education and sensitization of these different sectors was central to the success of the case,” said Shivananda Khan, Interim Chair of APCOM.
“Other key rulings in the region include the 2007 Nepal Supreme Court ruling recognizing the rights of sexual minorities, and the June 2009 Pakistan Supreme Court ruling that hijras or transgendered individuals, are a minority community in the legal sense of the term.”
Given the current global economic crisis and the ever-mounting bill for life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, the impetus for effective comprehensive HIV prevention becomes even stronger. Only a strategy of comprehensive, rights-based prevention, supported by an enabling legal environment, offers a possibility of reducing the numbers of persons infected with HIV each year.
In this context, it is both cost-effective and imperative that governments and other key players introduce and implement legal and social frameworks and programmes which counter discrimination and stigmatization that have long targeted MSM and TG.
ICAAP9: UN Report Draws Parallels with ’97 Financial Crisis and its impact on Migrants and AIDS
By Syed Akbar
Bali, Aug 12: Migrants are left out of current stimulus packages and HIV/AIDS programmes are under threat, warns a UN paper released today at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and Pacific (ICAAP).
The adverse impact of the financial crisis on health and migration is likely to expand, just as it did in the ’97 Asian crisis, as currency devaluations lead to higher drug prices, donor funding declines, and government programs are cut, says the report.
Issued jointly by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the paper (“The threat posed by the economic crisis to Universal Access to HIV services for migrants”), makes predictions on migration policies and HIV/AIDS programmes which mirror trends from the ’97 financial crisis.
“It is critical that policy makers don’t make the same decisions that were made in ’97 vis-à-vis cuts to essential HIV/AIDS programmes, and adverse policies that worked against migrant workers. In contrast to the massive stimulus packages that countries are launching to boost their economies, AIDS spending for a comprehensive response represents a mere 0.01% of such programmes”, said Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Regional HIV Practice Team Leader for Asia and the Pacific.
According to JVR Prasada Rao, Director of UNAIDS Regional Support Team, Asia and the Pacific, “Even before the financial crisis, HIV programmes and services for migrants and mobile populations often fell through the cracks in national programmes. Besides, we had seen from the past financial crisis that HIV prevention programmes were first to face budget cutbacks. Issues related to migrants are critical in a region with fast economic growth like Asia. We must strongly advocate with governments and donors not to cut resources on migrant HIV programmes as this will cause serious setbacks to universal access targets and MDG6”.
The ’97 Asian financial crisis showed that policies to reduce migration, such as limiting migrant work permits or cutting jobs and deporting workers, are not successful in reducing irregular migration. Without access to formal channels of migration, many people on the move seek informal, unsafe channels of movement that puts them in conditions with greater risk and vulnerability to HIV. Also, cuts in HIV government funding risks losing all the achievements made in reducing the spread of the AIDS epidemic on a national scale.
The paper illustrates that governments have stopped issuing work permits, are cracking down on undocumented migrants (Malaysia, Taiwan) and many foreign workers in manufacturing and construction are being laid off (Indonesia, China). Also, in several countries there are increasing reports of worsening working conditions (in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore).
There are increasing concerns that female migrants who lose their jobs may move into sex work to survive. In Cambodia, for example, 70,000 garment workers, mostly female, have lost their jobs since the crisis began. A recent study by the UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking has found that among a sample of sex workers, 58% of them entered into sex work in the wake of the financial crisis, and that 19% of these women were former garment sector workers.
“In times of economic downturn, we cannot forget the needs and rights of migrant workers who are such an integral part of so many economies, especially in our region” says Dhannan Sunoto, of the ASEAN Secretariat. “It is critical to ensure that potential migrants are not barred from working abroad based on their HIV positive status, and that migrants working abroad are not deported because of their positive status.”
“In the context of the current economic crisis we have reports of increased human rights violations, and pressure on migrant workers to move from formal to informal employment or to return to their countries of origin. These trends are likely to exacerbate vulnerability to HIV” says Dr Sophia Kisting, Director of the ILO Programme on HIV/AIDS and the world of work.
“The ILO is in the process of formulating an international human rights instrument on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. If adopted in 2010, this standard focusing solely on HIV and the world of work will give new impetus to anti-discrimination policies at national and workplace levels”, she adds.
According to Rina, from the Philippines, a positive migrant worker, “Undocumented migrant workers are more vulnerable to a lot of problems and challenges including getting infected with HIV because their rights are not protected.”
She continues,“The global recession will affect more and more migrants, and several will become undocumented, moreover, health services for non nationals will be a major challenge. I urge policy makers and practitioners to look into this and ensure that migrants are not further discriminated or marginalized.”
The paper outlines key recommendations for host countries and countries of origin, as they both have an equal responsibility to provide protective policies and programmes. These include:
* Establish protective mechanisms like welfare funds, social insurance schemes and training programmes to help migrants returning home or to relocate on site. Investment to support one migrant or mobile person impacts estimated 3-5 family members in their home countries.
* Translate regional and national strategies for HIV that include migrants and mobile populations into budgets and services that are designed to reach people on the move.
* Maintain prevention programmes and budgets: every $1 invested in prevention can save up to $8 in averted treatment costs1.
* Engage with and support civil society organizations to monitor the health seeking behaviour of migrants so that they do not have to sacrifice treatment for other basic necessities for themselves and their families.
Bali, Aug 12: Migrants are left out of current stimulus packages and HIV/AIDS programmes are under threat, warns a UN paper released today at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and Pacific (ICAAP).
The adverse impact of the financial crisis on health and migration is likely to expand, just as it did in the ’97 Asian crisis, as currency devaluations lead to higher drug prices, donor funding declines, and government programs are cut, says the report.
Issued jointly by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the paper (“The threat posed by the economic crisis to Universal Access to HIV services for migrants”), makes predictions on migration policies and HIV/AIDS programmes which mirror trends from the ’97 financial crisis.
“It is critical that policy makers don’t make the same decisions that were made in ’97 vis-à-vis cuts to essential HIV/AIDS programmes, and adverse policies that worked against migrant workers. In contrast to the massive stimulus packages that countries are launching to boost their economies, AIDS spending for a comprehensive response represents a mere 0.01% of such programmes”, said Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Regional HIV Practice Team Leader for Asia and the Pacific.
According to JVR Prasada Rao, Director of UNAIDS Regional Support Team, Asia and the Pacific, “Even before the financial crisis, HIV programmes and services for migrants and mobile populations often fell through the cracks in national programmes. Besides, we had seen from the past financial crisis that HIV prevention programmes were first to face budget cutbacks. Issues related to migrants are critical in a region with fast economic growth like Asia. We must strongly advocate with governments and donors not to cut resources on migrant HIV programmes as this will cause serious setbacks to universal access targets and MDG6”.
The ’97 Asian financial crisis showed that policies to reduce migration, such as limiting migrant work permits or cutting jobs and deporting workers, are not successful in reducing irregular migration. Without access to formal channels of migration, many people on the move seek informal, unsafe channels of movement that puts them in conditions with greater risk and vulnerability to HIV. Also, cuts in HIV government funding risks losing all the achievements made in reducing the spread of the AIDS epidemic on a national scale.
The paper illustrates that governments have stopped issuing work permits, are cracking down on undocumented migrants (Malaysia, Taiwan) and many foreign workers in manufacturing and construction are being laid off (Indonesia, China). Also, in several countries there are increasing reports of worsening working conditions (in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore).
There are increasing concerns that female migrants who lose their jobs may move into sex work to survive. In Cambodia, for example, 70,000 garment workers, mostly female, have lost their jobs since the crisis began. A recent study by the UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking has found that among a sample of sex workers, 58% of them entered into sex work in the wake of the financial crisis, and that 19% of these women were former garment sector workers.
“In times of economic downturn, we cannot forget the needs and rights of migrant workers who are such an integral part of so many economies, especially in our region” says Dhannan Sunoto, of the ASEAN Secretariat. “It is critical to ensure that potential migrants are not barred from working abroad based on their HIV positive status, and that migrants working abroad are not deported because of their positive status.”
“In the context of the current economic crisis we have reports of increased human rights violations, and pressure on migrant workers to move from formal to informal employment or to return to their countries of origin. These trends are likely to exacerbate vulnerability to HIV” says Dr Sophia Kisting, Director of the ILO Programme on HIV/AIDS and the world of work.
“The ILO is in the process of formulating an international human rights instrument on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. If adopted in 2010, this standard focusing solely on HIV and the world of work will give new impetus to anti-discrimination policies at national and workplace levels”, she adds.
According to Rina, from the Philippines, a positive migrant worker, “Undocumented migrant workers are more vulnerable to a lot of problems and challenges including getting infected with HIV because their rights are not protected.”
She continues,“The global recession will affect more and more migrants, and several will become undocumented, moreover, health services for non nationals will be a major challenge. I urge policy makers and practitioners to look into this and ensure that migrants are not further discriminated or marginalized.”
The paper outlines key recommendations for host countries and countries of origin, as they both have an equal responsibility to provide protective policies and programmes. These include:
* Establish protective mechanisms like welfare funds, social insurance schemes and training programmes to help migrants returning home or to relocate on site. Investment to support one migrant or mobile person impacts estimated 3-5 family members in their home countries.
* Translate regional and national strategies for HIV that include migrants and mobile populations into budgets and services that are designed to reach people on the move.
* Maintain prevention programmes and budgets: every $1 invested in prevention can save up to $8 in averted treatment costs1.
* Engage with and support civil society organizations to monitor the health seeking behaviour of migrants so that they do not have to sacrifice treatment for other basic necessities for themselves and their families.
Human influenza: What can I do?
By Syed Akbar
The main route of transmission of the new influenza A(H1N1) virus seems to be similar to seasonal influenza, via droplets that are expelled by speaking, sneezing or coughing.
You can prevent getting infected by avoiding close contact with people who show influenza-like symptoms (trying to maintain a distance of about 1 metre if possible) and taking the following measures:
• avoid touching your mouth and nose;
• clean hands thoroughly with soap and water, or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub on a regular basis (especially if touching the mouth and nose, or surfaces that are potentially contaminated);
• avoid close contact with people who might be ill;
• reduce the time spent in crowded settings if possible;
• improve airflow in your living space by opening windows;
• practise good health habits including adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active.
What about using a mask? What does WHO recommend?
If you are not sick you do not have to wear a mask.
If you are caring for a sick person, you can wear a mask when you are in close contact with the ill person and dispose of it immediately after contact, and cleanse your hands thoroughly afterwards.
If you are sick and must travel or be around others, cover your mouth and nose.
Using a mask correctly in all situations is essential. Incorrect use actually increases the chance of spreading infection.
How do I know if I have influenza A(H1N1)?
You will not be able to tell the difference between seasonal flu and influenza A(H1N1) without medical help. Typical symptoms to watch for are similar to seasonal viruses and include fever, cough, headache, body aches, sore throat and runny nose. Only your medical practitioner and local health authority can confirm a case of influenza A(H1N1).
What should I do if I think I have the illness?
If you feel unwell, have high fever, cough or sore throat:
• stay at home and keep away from work, school or crowds;
• rest and take plenty of fluids;
• cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and, if using tissues, make sure you dispose of them carefully. Clean your hands immediately after with soap and water or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub;
• if you do not have a tissue close by when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth as much as possible with the crook of your elbow;
• use a mask to help you contain the spread of droplets when you are around others, but be sure to do so correctly;
• inform family and friends about your illness and try to avoid contact with other people;
• If possible, contact a health professional before traveling to a health facility to discuss whether a medical examination is necessary.
Should I take an antiviral now just in case I catch the new virus?
No. You should only take an antiviral, such as oseltamivir or zanamivir, if your health care provider advises you to do so. Individuals should not buy medicines to prevent or fight this new influenza without a prescription, and they should exercise caution in buying antivirals over the Internet.
What about breastfeeding? Should I stop if I am ill?
No, not unless your health care provider advises it. Studies on other influenza infections show that breastfeeding is most likely protective for babies - it passes on helpful maternal immunities and lowers the risk of respiratory disease. Breastfeeding provides the best overall nutrition for babies and increases their defense factors to fight illness.
When should someone seek medical care?
A person should seek medical care if they experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or if a fever continues more than three days. For parents with a young child who is ill, seek medical care if a child has fast or labored breathing, continuing fever or convulsions (seizures).
Supportive care at home - resting, drinking plenty of fluids and using a pain reliever for aches - is adequate for recovery in most cases. (A non-aspirin pain reliever should be used by children and young adults because of the risk of Reye's syndrome.)
Should I go to work if I have the flu but am feeling OK?
No. Whether you have influenza A(H1N1) or a seasonal influenza, you should stay home and away from work through the duration of your symptoms. This is a precaution that can protect your work colleagues and others.
Can I travel?
If you are feeling unwell or have symptoms of influenza, you should not travel. If you have any doubts about your health, you should check with your health care provider.
The main route of transmission of the new influenza A(H1N1) virus seems to be similar to seasonal influenza, via droplets that are expelled by speaking, sneezing or coughing.
You can prevent getting infected by avoiding close contact with people who show influenza-like symptoms (trying to maintain a distance of about 1 metre if possible) and taking the following measures:
• avoid touching your mouth and nose;
• clean hands thoroughly with soap and water, or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub on a regular basis (especially if touching the mouth and nose, or surfaces that are potentially contaminated);
• avoid close contact with people who might be ill;
• reduce the time spent in crowded settings if possible;
• improve airflow in your living space by opening windows;
• practise good health habits including adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active.
What about using a mask? What does WHO recommend?
If you are not sick you do not have to wear a mask.
If you are caring for a sick person, you can wear a mask when you are in close contact with the ill person and dispose of it immediately after contact, and cleanse your hands thoroughly afterwards.
If you are sick and must travel or be around others, cover your mouth and nose.
Using a mask correctly in all situations is essential. Incorrect use actually increases the chance of spreading infection.
How do I know if I have influenza A(H1N1)?
You will not be able to tell the difference between seasonal flu and influenza A(H1N1) without medical help. Typical symptoms to watch for are similar to seasonal viruses and include fever, cough, headache, body aches, sore throat and runny nose. Only your medical practitioner and local health authority can confirm a case of influenza A(H1N1).
What should I do if I think I have the illness?
If you feel unwell, have high fever, cough or sore throat:
• stay at home and keep away from work, school or crowds;
• rest and take plenty of fluids;
• cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and, if using tissues, make sure you dispose of them carefully. Clean your hands immediately after with soap and water or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub;
• if you do not have a tissue close by when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth as much as possible with the crook of your elbow;
• use a mask to help you contain the spread of droplets when you are around others, but be sure to do so correctly;
• inform family and friends about your illness and try to avoid contact with other people;
• If possible, contact a health professional before traveling to a health facility to discuss whether a medical examination is necessary.
Should I take an antiviral now just in case I catch the new virus?
No. You should only take an antiviral, such as oseltamivir or zanamivir, if your health care provider advises you to do so. Individuals should not buy medicines to prevent or fight this new influenza without a prescription, and they should exercise caution in buying antivirals over the Internet.
What about breastfeeding? Should I stop if I am ill?
No, not unless your health care provider advises it. Studies on other influenza infections show that breastfeeding is most likely protective for babies - it passes on helpful maternal immunities and lowers the risk of respiratory disease. Breastfeeding provides the best overall nutrition for babies and increases their defense factors to fight illness.
When should someone seek medical care?
A person should seek medical care if they experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or if a fever continues more than three days. For parents with a young child who is ill, seek medical care if a child has fast or labored breathing, continuing fever or convulsions (seizures).
Supportive care at home - resting, drinking plenty of fluids and using a pain reliever for aches - is adequate for recovery in most cases. (A non-aspirin pain reliever should be used by children and young adults because of the risk of Reye's syndrome.)
Should I go to work if I have the flu but am feeling OK?
No. Whether you have influenza A(H1N1) or a seasonal influenza, you should stay home and away from work through the duration of your symptoms. This is a precaution that can protect your work colleagues and others.
Can I travel?
If you are feeling unwell or have symptoms of influenza, you should not travel. If you have any doubts about your health, you should check with your health care provider.
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