World AIDS Day in Asia Highlights Increasing Infections, Prompts Education

World AIDS Day was marked actively in Asia on Thursday with education especially highlighted amid the rapid growth of HIV infections.

World AIDS Day was marked actively in Asia on Thursday with education especially highlighted amid the rapid growth of HIV infections.

According to a recent report by the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS (UNAIDS), an estimated 8.3 million people are living with HIV in Asia, with 1.1 million newly infected last year. In East Asia alone, the number of people living with HIV in 2005 increased by one-fifth, compared with two years earlier.

China – the most populous country in the world – has been warned of the quiet spread of the deadly epidemic among its citizens due to poor monitoring, the top AIDS official of China, Wang Longde, told Reuters.

During a press conference held on the eve of the World AIDS Day, China’s Health Minister Gao Qiang said that there are about 840,000 HIV-positive people in China. However, he admitted that only about 167,000 are registered as being infected, according to Reuters.

As the United Nations warned the number of infected people in China could rise to 10 million by 2010, Gao pledged to keep the number of HIV patients to under 1.5 million by 2010 by aggressive long-term AIDS prevention strategy, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

The government launched an education campaign for some 120 million migrant workers on World AIDS Day. The state-television Chinese Central Television showed condoms being passed out to construction workers and taxi drivers, according to AP.

In South Korea, World Vision Korea sponsored an HIV education session in collaboration with the United Nation's Children's Fund. Nearly 10,000 students at 300 high schools in Seoul were given HIV lessons, according to AP.

"In Korea, people tend to think AIDS is a problem that has nothing to do with them," said Cha Hei-sun of World Vision Korea. "People's awareness of the disease is really needed here."

In India, thousands marched in anti-AIDS rallies on World AIDS Day in northeast India, AP reported. India ranks second only to South Africa in terms of the number of people infected with HIV. Heroin traffickers cross from Myanmar and increasing singles having premarital sex in cities are considered factors of high HIV inflection rate, sources say.

In the Buddhist Cambodia, AIDS officials lamented that conservative Buddhist culture had contributed to the spread of the disease. Currently, it has the highest HIV infection-rate in Asia.

"Because of our culture, our women are facing barriers to telling their husbands to use condoms," said Dr Teng Kunthy, Deputy Secretary General of the National AIDS Authority, to Reuters. On Thursday, at the capital Phnom Penh, the use of condom was promoted as thousands were seen waving flags with safe sex messages.

To highlight the emerging crisis of the rapid spread of AIDS in Asia, the U.K.-based church agency Christian Aid, published a special resources booklet in collaboration with the HIV Education Center at St Johns Cathedral in Hong Kong.

The booklet, entitled "Acts of Faith," is a collection of stories and reflections from AIDS patients of different faiths in Cambodia, India, Burma and Bangladesh. In the introduction of the booklet, Christian Aid describes the spread of AIDS in Asia as a "silent tsunami," noting that the numbers of people living with HIV in Asia are predicted to double in the next five years if action isn't taken immediately.

The booklet also offers a suggested order of worship service for World AIDS Day. The prayers have been adapted from a liturgy produced by the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), Hong Kong Christian Council (HKCC) and St John’s Cathedral HIV Education Center in Hong Kong.

CCA and HKCC encourage member churches in Hong Kong and Asia to observe World AIDS Sunday on Dec. 4 and hold special worship service.

    Most Popular
  • Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Faith-based films often receive mixed reactions, and The Last Supper is no exception. The movie attempts to bring a fresh perspective to one of the most iconic moments in Christian history, but does it succeed? Some reviews from critics and audiences provide insight into its strengths and shortcomings.

  • ‘The Chosen’ Season 5: The darkest season yet—What to know before watching

    The wait is over—The Chosen is back with its fifth season, and this time, things are getting intense. The new episodes dive straight into the final days of Jesus’ life, covering some of the most emotional and dramatic moments in the Bible. If you’ve been following the series, you already know that The Chosen isn’t just about retelling familiar stories—it’s about bringing them to life in a way that feels real.

  • Massacres in Syria: Over 1,000 dead, including Christians and Alawites

    Syria’s coastal regions have been devastated by a series of massacres, with reports indicating that over 1,000 people—many from Christian and Alawite communities—have been killed in brutal attacks. Entire families have been wiped out, and survivors are fleeing in search of safety as sectarian violence escalates.

  • Kim Sae-ron and Wheesung: The tragic irony of Korean society and the principles of happiness

    Not long ago, the media was in an uproar over actress Kim Sae-ron’s passing. Just months before, the same people who had relentlessly criticized her for her DUI incident were now expressing sympathy, saying, "The world was too harsh on her." The irony is impossible to ignore.

  • Newsboys move forward as a quartet after Michael Tait’s departure

    After more than a decade as the lead singer of the Newsboys, Michael Tait has officially parted ways with the band, marking a significant shift in the Christian rock group’s lineup. The remaining members—Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee—have assured fans that they will continue forward, embracing a new season of music and ministry.