Low HIV/AIDS prevalence in Lanka no miracle

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

COLOMBO: The low HIV/AIDS prevalence in Sri Lanka is not a miracle. It is strong political leadership, large amounts of funds allocated by all the Governments on free education and health and religious and cultural influences which keep Sri Lanka’s HIV/AIDS prevalence low.

The biggest challenge Sri Lanka is facing today is keeping it low, Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry Secretary Dr.Athula Kahandaliyanage said.

Addressing the pre-press conference held at Hilton Hotel, Colombo yesterday in connection with the Eighth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) being held at the BMICH from August 19 to 23 he said that the 8th ICAAP is one of the biggest International Conferences to take place in Sri Lanka ever with around 2500 foreign participants from 70 countries.

Dr. Kahandaliyanage said that Sri Lanka’s literacy rate is high and the people are well aware about HIV/AIDS.

Deputy Executive Director, UNAIDS, Ms. Deborah Landey congratulated Sri Lanka for hosting the event and said that the challenge stand here is keeping the low prevalence. Political leadership, understanding the epidemic, funding and the media play key roles in HIV/AIDS prevention.

GFATM Executive Director, Michel Kazatchkine said that he noticed an extraordinary political leadership last year in HIV/AIDS prevention in the region. There were large scale programmes and not only pilot projects. It is obvious that early investment in infrastructure development and prevention really pay off, he added.