iRice.org

the epidemic worsens
By Nigel Collett
Resource: www.fridae.com

It has been highlighted that HIV infections among MSM in Hong Kong are those which concern health experts the most. Guest columnist Nigel Collett urges the community to act without delay in response to recent statistics which showed a sharp rise in new HIV infections among MSM in the territory.

This guest column was written by Nigel Collett for Hong Kong's Civil Rights for Sexual Diversities (www.cr4sd.org), a NGO working for the rights of people who may be disadvantaged by the law, policies and social prejudices in Hong Kong because of their sexual orientation, gender identity and sexual expression. The fortnightly column will be written by founding member Roddy Shaw and various writers.

How much worse does the HIV epidemic have to get before we are so alarmed that we do something about it? There is no real answer to that question, of course, except the very obvious one that, horribly, we have not reached that point yet. And that is despite the fact that things are getting considerably worse here in Hong Kong, as they are across gay Asia.

February, our Department of Health released statistics for 2006 showing a 19 percent increase in all HIV infections. There were 98 new cases for the year, of which more this year were infected through MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) than through heterosexual contact, 30 to 23. The figures for MSM are probably higher than this, as 27 of the 98 cases remain unaccounted for, and it’s not the heteros who are in the closet.

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