Mission Burma

Burma is going through a major socio-economic crisis and the government has reduced health spending to a minimum (0.4% of GDP). However, HIV is ravaging a country where prostitution and the use of injectable drugs are very widespread: more than 680,000 may be carrying the virus. The criminalisation of drug users and prostitutes makes MdM's work more difficult. In addition, the withdrawal of the Global Fund (which had undertaken to pay 98 million dollars over five years) is making the current situation worse. Today, the HIV prevalence rate is up to 43% amongst prostitutes and to 90% amongst drug users.

Myitkyina (Kachin) and Yangon

Preventing HIV transmission

Activities:

MdM's work is focused on preventing HIV and STI transmission in Myitkyina and Yangon in order to reduce HIV/AIDS and STI transmission in the population and amongst people at risk - prostitutes and intravenous drugs users - and to offer access to healthcare and treatment of opportunistic infections. Its work is concentrated amongst prostitutes (HIV/AIDS prevention sessions, free treatment of STIs and OIs, workshops in drop-in centres and condom distribution) and drug addicts (promotion of harm reduction methods in shooting galleries, needle distribution and prevention/ education sessions in drop-in centres). In addition, MdMis continuing its welfare support and AIDS education/ prevention activities in prisons, where prostitutes and drug addicts can often be found in a country where the law is very repressive against these groups of people. ARVs began to be administered in Yangon in May 2005. At the end of December, 43 prostitutes were receiving treatment.

Outlook:

MdM hopes to continue administering ARVs to prostitutes in Yangon and to start methadone substitution in Kachin state. We must also strengthen links with the vulnerable groups, and continue to gather testimonies.