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HIV/AIDS in East Asia and Pacific - Fact Sheet

November 2007

Available in: العربية, Español

Overview

As a region, East Asia and Pacific (EAP) has an estimated 2.3 million adults and children living with HIV/AIDS, of the global burden of 42 million.

A sense of the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic can be drawn from a rough classification based on prevalence rates.

Most countries have concentrated epidemics: Papua New Guinea, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam are usually considered concentrated epidemics. Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar have generalized epidemics. Lao PDR, Mongolia, Pacific Island member states, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste have so far showed low levels of the epidemics.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) predicts a staggering 11 million new cases of HIV/AIDS in the region by 2010. However, this projection is based on limited data.

The World Bank's Strategy for EAP

Growing interest in combating HIV/AIDS in the region catalyzed a regional strategy paper, which was developed in 2004.
Download the regional HIV/AIDS strategy

This regional strategy identifies five key challenges which could avert a large HIV/AIDS epidemic if tackled through effective HIV/AIDS programs:

Political commitment and multisectoral support
Public health surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation
Prevention
Care, support, and treatment
Health services delivery

Support for Country Programs

The regional strategy calls for country specific approaches to be developed and that could guide specific interventions in selected countries. Some highlights of country program include:


Cambodia	Current health program providing support for antiretrovirals. Earlier health projects helped establish HIV/AIDS program in Cambodia (completed).

China	Ongoing lending operation to support HIV/AIDS activities in 31 prefectures in the four target provinces -Fujian, Guangxi, Shanxi, and Xinjiang (total amount of the component for HIV/AIDS US$33.3 million). Earlier efforts that focused on public awareness for HIV/AIDS and helped build capacity in that area (completed). New analytic work on policy options to address HIV/AIDS in China. Close collaboration with UN theme group and other partners working in this area.

Indonesia	Focus on analytic and advisory services and possible integration of HIV/AIDS activities in multi-sectoral operations that are of high priority. Completed an HIV/AIDS bio-behavioral study in Papua (pdf) that combined serological and behavioral components, providing a new instrument for increased evidence-based policy analysis and development.

Papua New Guinea	Engaged in a joint strategy for HIV/AIDS, as part of a human development strategy effort together with AusAID and ADB. Future activities likely to follow from this strategy.

Thailand	The World Bank’s main engagement at present is through an antiretroviral treatment study (The Economics of Effective AIDS Treatment: Evaluating Policy Options for Thailand) look at policy options for achieving treatment benefits while promoting effective prevention.

Vietnam	A safe blood project in Vietnam is currently under implementation at an estimated cost US$47.5 million. An HIV/AIDS prevention project at an estimated cost US$38.5 million is also under implementation. The project supports programs designed to halt transmission of HIV/AIDS among vulnerable populations (PLWHA, IDUs, CSWs, and their clients and sexual partners) and between these vulnerable populations and the general population. Strong focus on monitoring and evaluation as well as on analytic and advisory services in close collaboration with other partners.

Knowledge Sharing

Publications include a guidance booklet on healthcare worker safety and a number of knowledge sharing activities.

Download: Guidance Note on Health Care Worker Safety from HIV and Other Blood Borne Infections
Others

More information:
http://www.worldbank.org/eapaids

November 2007

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