Here is another article in which concern is expressed in the final paragraph about a potential ART funding shortage two years from now.

The journalist, who covers Indonesia, decided to use a military metaphor for the national response to HIV. Both Indonesia and Myanmar are trying to shake off the decades old shackles of military rule. But treatment coverage in Indonesia, both in absolute and relative terms, is much lower. Indonesia has not even achieved an AIDS transition as the annual number of new infections is still higher than the number of deaths.

There will be fewer than 16,000 estimated deaths in Myanmar this year, not 20,000 as stated in the article.

Does MSF keep records on what proportion of people on treatment are people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, and sex workers? That would be one way to ensure that key populations are being treated equitably with the 'general population'.

Myanmar is 'winning the battle' against HIV.

[him] moderator

++++++++++++++++++

Myanmar may lose battle against HIV: health experts
Sujadi Siswo
15 February 2013 1614 hrs

YANGON: Health experts warn that Myanmar is in danger of losing its battle with HIV.

Currently, the country can only afford to treat a third of its more than 120,000 HIV patients, with international help.

But with the future of foreign aid for the disease uncertain, the situation is looking grim.

There are 23 clinics for treating HIV patients, run by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in several states and regions considered as AIDS hotspots.

With primary care facilities severely lacking in Myanmar - HIV clinics are at the forefront in treating patients. It is located close to the community and in most instances - the first to detect HIV infection.

MSF clinics only started providing free treatment in 2003.

They scaled up their efforts two years ago, after receiving aid from the Global Fund -- an international institution focused on disbursing resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, as well as tuberculosis and malaria.

Dr Khin Nyein Chan, medical coordinator at MSF in Myanmar, said: "It is estimated that there are like 125,000 patients who are in need of treatment - HIV treatment. But at the end of 2012, around 50,000 patients are on the treatment, so leaving the gap of more than 50 per cent."

Lack of access to treatment is one reason for the premature deaths of the 20,000 people who die of AIDS in Myanmar annually.

Currently only one in three patients receives treatment, but even then, only after a long wait. There is not enough money to treat all patients.

The government has allocated only 4 per cent of the budget to the health sector.

With limited resources, MSF clinics can only provide the anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to patients who have already reached the critical stage of the illness, way below the World Health Organisation's treatment standard.

Dr Moe Nandar Aung, who works at a MSF clinic in Yangon, said: "Patients that come are in very severe (condition). So we have to treat every cause of their infections. But they respond very slowly.

A 34-year-old HIV patient said: "I went to many clinics patiently trying to get treatment. Finally I got it here. At that time, I was very thin and couldn't do anything. But after I started the treatment, I got better and was able to work."

She only found out she was infected with HIV after her husband passed away from the disease. Her 11-year-old son tested negative.

Dr Khin said: "In the past we mainly found the infection in the high-risk groups like the female sex workers, (homosexual) people and the IDUs (intravenous drug users). But now it is changed - more to the general population. We see in our clinic, we see most of the patients are from the general population."

Funding from the Global Fund is will only last till 2015. Experts warn the consequences might be devastating if no new source of funding is secured.

- CNA/xq

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/1254444/1/.html