The [him] moderator is yet to congratulate the journalists at Eleven Myanmar for getting their numbers correct. The final paragraph says only five hundred people have died of HIV disease. The fact is that it is estimated that fifteen thousand people will die this year alone.
Where does the 'estimate' that ten to twenty thousand people are getting antiretroviral treatment in the private sector come from. The [him] moderator is not aware of any study estimating this number. Has one been conducted? Would anyone like to share it?
Jamie
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Myanmar needs to provide more ART treatment
Eleven Myanmar
Wednesday, 29 May 2013 01:22
Myanmar needs to provide Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) treatment to about 70,000 HIV patients, according to the Candle Light Memorial Service Ceremony for AIDS patients.
They have faced the discrimination in their surrounding and the implementation of protection, curing and treating for HIV cases are difficult, according to non-profit community-based organizations.
Myanmar has approximately 200,000 HIV patients and among them, over 120,000 patients are in need of ART treatment. At present, about 50,000 patients are receiving ART treatments.
The government estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 patients are buying and taking ART medicines from the private-owned clinics. ART medicines cost at least K 20,000 per patient, it is reported.
The requirements say that the respective departments and community-based organizations need to feed ART to patients who have less than 350 CD4 percentage but presently they can provide treatment to patients who have less than 200 CD4 percentage.
The Ministry of Health is planning to buy 2 billion K worth of ART medicines to provide in 2012-2013 fiscal years, an official from the ministry said.
Myanmar has average 23 HIV infections daily and the disease has killed about 500 people now. The pregnant women who live in towns have more infection from HIV than those who live in countryside, it is reported.
http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/national/3691-myanmar-needs-to-provide-more-art-treatment
