Imagine a sea of bright white coats and determined faces, as a dedicated team from the Police General Hospital comes together in the steadfast fight against a global challenge. They stand with purpose, participating in the 2019 World Aids Day “Getting to Zero” campaign—symbols of hope, crusaders in lab coats, with the bustling streets of Bangkok as their backdrop. (A nod to our visual maestro, Somchai Poomlard, for capturing that moment.)
Despite the waves of progress that lap at the shores of modern medicine, nearly half of the newest 9,000 HIV heroes battling the virus in Thailand each year are young people between the tender ages of 15 and 24, the Department of Disease Control tells us. Dr. Suchada Jiamsiri, the luminary leading the Division of AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, spells out the trend that’s painted our city’s youth with this worrying hue of vulnerability for several seasons now.
It’s a tricky tango—a dance between the infected and the uninfected—once dominated by seasoned professionals of the night and a courageous community of men loving men. But now, Dr. Suchada tells us with a cautious tone, the dance floor has expanded, and more young souls are swaying to the beguiling rhythm of risky romance, sans the shield of protection.
It appears that the siren song of preventing an unplanned family addition—the kind that sends one racing for birth control pills—rings louder in their ears than the silent howl of a virus that tiptoes unseen. The pill, ever the vigilant gatekeeper against storks, has played its part in keeping the teenage motherhood band at bay. But the humble condom, Dr. Suchada laments, lies neglected, its pleasures shrouded by myths and misconceived notions.
The rallying cry is loud and clear: “Condoms, folks! Let’s make them the star of the show,” urges Dr. Suchada. In this sprawling teenage landscape, the protection narrative is making headway, with 77.8% of female middle school students strapping on the safety gear, while 59.1% of their male counterparts are getting in on the action. The vocational students are not far behind, with commendable stats of their own.
Yet, our healthcare warriors march on, alongside impassioned civil societies, trumpeting the message of safe love louder than a rock concert. The State’s treasure chest for HIV/AIDS defenses may have seen better days, and the glittering foreign aid that once bedazzled local projects is dimming, but the cause has not been abandoned.
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) remains the valiant knight in armor, waving the banner for prevention and armoring the people with over ten million free condoms a year, preventive medicines, and tests in the healing temples we call hospitals.
With 561,578 souls fighting alongside HIV in Thailand, the nation locks arms with a global covenant to bring an end to AIDS by the dawn of 2030. It’s a moonshot goal to plummet the current 9,230 cases per year to a mere thousand, bringing death’s toll down from 10,970 to 4,000 per year. It’s bold, it’s ambitious, and by Jove, it’s the kind of challenge Thailand is stepping up to meet.
Promising numbers whisper tales of success, as the 95-95-95 Global AIDS Strategy of the United Nations seems within grasp—a future where 95% know their HIV status, 95% of those are treated, and 95% of those treated can serenely say, “The virus shall not pass.” By the twilight of 2022, an encouraging 90% of those with AIDS knew of the shadow they carried, with 90% treated and 97% achieving viral suppression—a stunning victory, preventing the spread to others. Celebrate the wins, but never cease the fight, for the battle against AIDS is far from over.
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