AIDS Wkly Plus. 1996:13.
A group of Philippine officials left for Thailand to learn from the Thai government's experience in fighting AIDS. Thailand has one of the highest AIDS levels in Asia and has instituted a variety of public and private programs to deal with the disease. Health Undersecretary Carmencita Reodica, who is leading the delegation, said the Philippines does not expect as many AIDS cases as Thailand. "But if the Philippines does not improve its planning and surveillance system, we could face the same threat in the future," she said. Thailand has a good surveillance program, valuable support services such as mobile clinics, and active private groups fighting AIDS, she said. The group is to meet with Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa, who heads the Thai National AIDS Council, and other officials involved in Thailand's anti-AIDS campaign. Thailand has recorded 22,135 AIDS cases and 750,000 people with HIV. In comparison, the Philippine government has documented only 234 AIDS cases in the Philippines and 704 people with HIV. Health officials estimate that as many as 35,000 people in the country are infected with HIV. While Thailand monitors the number of AIDS cases in the general population, the Philippines only monitors the disease among so-called high-risk groups such as prostitutes, homosexuals, and intravenous drug users. Reodica said legislation is needed in the Philippines to support the country's AIDS program, as well as to answer ethical and legal issues concerning AIDS cases.
一群菲律宾官员前往泰国，学习泰国政府抗击艾滋病的经验。泰国是亚洲艾滋病感染率最高的国家之一，已制定了各种公共和私人项目来应对这一疾病。率领代表团的卫生部副部长卡梅恩西塔·雷奥迪卡表示，菲律宾预计不会出现像泰国那么多的艾滋病病例。“但如果菲律宾不改进其规划和监测系统，我们未来可能面临同样的威胁，”她说。她说，泰国拥有良好的监测项目、诸如流动诊所等宝贵的支持服务，以及积极抗击艾滋病的私人团体。该代表团将与泰国国家艾滋病委员会主席班汉·西巴阿差总理以及参与泰国抗击艾滋病运动的其他官员会面。泰国已记录了22135例艾滋病病例和75万艾滋病毒携带者。相比之下，菲律宾政府仅记录了菲律宾境内234例艾滋病病例和704名艾滋病毒携带者。卫生官员估计，该国多达3.5万人感染了艾滋病毒。泰国监测普通人群中的艾滋病病例数量，而菲律宾只监测妓女、同性恋者和静脉注射吸毒者等所谓高危人群中的该疾病情况。雷奥迪卡说，菲律宾需要立法来支持该国的艾滋病项目，以及应对与艾滋病病例有关的伦理和法律问题。
