The scientific programme of the ICAAP began this morning in Colombo with a talk by Prasada Rao, Director of the Regional Support Team of UNAIDS. He gave an account of what had changed in epidemic and the response to it in the region since the last ICAAP two years ago.

Myanmar was rarely mentioned, except for a footnote that "it appears there has been some decline in HIV in Myanmar, although this needs to be confirmed." If a decline in prevalence in Myanmar needs to be confirmed, why mention it?

Myanmar was also missing from another part of Prasada Rao's speech. He said that there is an increase in the number of countries in the region engulfed in political instability and civil conflict. He said that "today at least eight more countries have slipped into untable political situations or intensified conflict which have the potential to affect national AIDS programmes. He did not name them.

When he was asked to name the eight countries during the press conference which followed, he refused to name them. This UNAIDS Director said that journalists knew what they were. By refusing to name countries in conflict, UNAIDS Director Prasada Rao is not exercising the leadership that he asks national leaders to take on. This is a failure to take responsibility.

Other UNAIDS staff were more forthcoming with an off-the-record list of names: Nepal and Sri Lanka, joined by Thailand, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. There are also Pacific countries in the list. But one major omission stands out in the UNAIDS nonlist of names of countries where conflict affects both the epidemic and the response to it. Myanmar.

If UNAIDS refuses to name Myanmar as having an HIV-intensifying conflict, who will?

[him] moderator

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http://www.icaap8.lk/20th_backup/plenary/MoPL1-0900-MA/MoPL1-%20Prasad%20Rao.ppt