Press Release
Multi-city AIDS Conference held in Hong Kong
7 Dec 2010
Some 140 overseas and local experts working on the AIDS front are meeting in Hong Kong for three days (December 7- 9) to discuss the prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) and how to enhance the efforts in the treatment, care and support in the participating cities.
The event, entitled “Action Planning Meeting of Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Populations Multi-City HIV Initiative”, is jointly organised by the Department of Health (DH), the United States Agency for International Development, organisations under the United Nations system, Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health, Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS and regional partners.
The three-day meeting is attended by about 140 participants from 12 countries and 30 regional organisations with major participants from six Asian cities including Bangkok, Chengdu, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila and Yangon. They are joined by local experts and observers.
It is the first time in the Asian region to have an action meeting of this kind to review the current HIV epidemic trends, examine municipal response and identify innovative initiatives to step up efforts in HIV prevention, treatment, care and support amongst MSM and transgender populations in the six cities.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of Health, Dr PY Lam, said despite the fact that HIV prevalence in Hong Kong had been maintained at a relatively low level for a long time, the rise in HIV infections among MSM in Hong Kong and the neighbouring region over the last few years had alerted us to the importance of vigilance.
“Our serial community-based surveys revealed that the HIV prevalence in the local MSM community has reached the borderline level of a concentrated epidemic (around four per cent in 2006 and 2008), which remained considerably higher than other at risk populations, such as methadone clinic attendees and social hygiene clinic attendees recorded around the same period,” Dr Lam said.
“In fact, HIV prevention in MSM was listed as the top priority area of action in the current Recommended HIV/AIDS Strategies for Hong Kong 2007-2011 formulated by the Advisory Council on AIDS,” said Dr Lam, adding that the Government and the local community had spent a great deal of effort in response.
“As a result, there has been a rapid scale-up in the number and scope of community organisations engaged in targeted prevention and HIV testing,” he added.
Dr Lam is confident that the sharing session given by the Hong Kong representatives will give the participants a better idea about the successful factors in response and the meeting can lead to the prioritisation of resources for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support amongst MSM through a solid action plan in the six major participating cities.
