"Access for All" Myth at 15th International Aids Conference

I just had the chance to talk with one student volunteer at the 15th International Aids Conference about various details about the conference that somewhat upset me.

Let me list a few reasons why. The first reason why I am upset is that many schools in the vinicity of the Aids Conference were ordered close, in which one of my nephew who studied in one of the schools along the Vipavadee Road took time off to visit her relatives back in Ubon during the time. Talking about an earlier international confernce - the APEC - students had another extended holiday - which seems to be developing into a pattern right now.

The second reason why I was upset is about the theme - Access for All banners which are decorated all over Bangkok. What is unknown is most people is that only the global village with a few exhibits are open to the general public for free. To attend any conference or seminar, guests are expected to shell out another $1000 for general public, or $300 for students to attend any of the seminars. To be exact, this doesn't really show that the conference is open for all.

Talking about open for all, I'm pretty surprised to see the Government basking on its laurel when Thailand was annouced as a model of AIDS prevention for the world. What I do want to point that I feel that is missing from this seminar are a few important people that should take center stage on this conference. I want to point out two people - the first is Dr. Meechai Viravaidya, or what we affectionally called Mr. Condom, who campaigned extensively during the 1990s in Thailand about HIV, prevention methods, and awareness of the disease. As he was promoting much of the usage of condoms, many people affectionately called him Mr. Condom, and is responsible much for the early adwareness on HIV and managing to control the growth of this disease in the country. Strangely enough it seems that I don't see him anywhere in the conference. Another person that I wanted to point out is about a nurse, whose name I didn't quite figure, but probably the first person who blown the whistle about the dangers of HIV in the late 1980s - who was a Thai nurse who came back from aboard, which was discussed on the local radio this morning. I do feel that these two have done alot and should deserve more attention on this conference that many people such as the Prime Minister or Miss Condom or Miss Thailand.

Related with the earlier topic, I do think this conference would benefit much for high risk occupations such as prostitution, go-go dancers, and related fields. If there is serious mention of prevention, then the highest risk group must also be represented. However we can see that Access For All is a myth, and the people that needs most of the help sadly seems neglected again.

Coming back closer to the conference, and talking about another key note speech by the Prime Minister; he was pledging equal medical access for all including AIDS medicine for the 30 baht medical care - and has instructed the formulation of cheaper drugs to help. In this topic I do want to point that there are ways that are better than giving equal medical access to all. The main point is that prevention works better than giving AIDS medicine, but strangely enough the AIDS prevention budget has been consistently cut during the administration except this year that had a slight rebound that coincided with this conference.

On a lighter note, on yesterday's news, I found a picture that Ashley Judd and Coco Lee were both kissing in the cheek an AIDS victim, which is a very touching scene, and help dispelling the myth that AIDS victim should be ostracized. Its sad to know that many people feel that AIDS is very contagious - and keep AIDS sufferer in confided areas away from the public - though knowledge tells us that AIDS only transmit through unsafe sex and blood means. The ignorance of the masses on AIDS is still very prevalent here in our country, and if you tried talking to the most accessible lower income/education people, your Taxi drivers, you may manage to strike some interesting conversation on this topic - which in most cases, many of them show high ignorance on this topic which is a huge worry.

Though Thailand has been placed as a model country in the prevention of AIDS, I still feel that we are far from our intended goal. Though all my doubts about the usefulness and the goal of this AIDS Conference here, I have some reason to be optimistic that we are doing a small step in the right direction.