Cambodia Says HIV/AIDS Success Must Not Lead to Funding Cuts

Tia Phalla, secretary-general of Cambodia's National AIDS Authority, said Friday that officials are worried the recent drop of about 1 percent in the nation's infection rate may lead donors to scale back their commitments. The lower infection rate does not take into account the many thousands now living with HIV/AIDS or the shift in the social groups now most at risk, Phalla said.

Ministry of Health figures show that only about 5,500 of the estimated 123,000 Cambodians with HIV/AIDS are currently accessing antiretrovirals. Some 22,000 will urgently need antiretrovirals this year, but only 10,000 will be able to afford the drugs, according to the National AIDS Authority. "We need much more money, five to ten times more, to fight AIDS," Phalla said.

While new cases have declined, more patients are seeking care, Phalla said -- and more are dying. "As well, we now find AIDS is attacking families and married women rather than sex workers in brothels. AIDS education in families is very complicated. At brothels, we can freely tell them to use condoms but with families we obviously cannot."

"Please, donors, understand our situation," Phalla said. "Around 40 percent of our people live under the poverty line and some have no money to pay for a trip to hospital for treatment or diagnosis, so AIDS is still a huge problem for our Cambodia."

Although donor commitment remains steady, Phalla said the nation's health sector is concerned that continuing success in the fight against HIV could lead to complacency among the population and cause donors to divert funds to other projects.

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