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世界エイズデー World AIDS Day

(English report follows after Japanese)

Photo credit: Pan American Health Organization

2020年12月1日は、世界エイズデーです。多くの人にHIV/AIDSへの理解を深めてもらうため、またHIV感染予防教育やAIDS患者に対する差別をなくすために1988年から始まり、以来毎年恒例の国際デーとなっています。

 

1980年代初頭にHIVが初めて検出されて以降、AIDSを発症し亡くなられた人の累計は、数百万人に上ります。1990年代半ばには、カンボジアもアジアでHIV感染問題が深刻になった国の1つでした。カンボジアの国家AIDS局の最新報告によりますと、2019年時点で、カンボジアには73,000人のHIV感染者がおり、去年AIDSが原因で亡くなった方は1,300人でした。

 

1990年代の状況と比べると、現在カンボジアの新規HIV感染者数は減少傾向にあり、多くのAIDS患者も治療が受けられるようになっています。にもかかわらず、カンボジア政府は、HIV感染問題に対する警戒を緩めることはせず、今でも自国のHIV感染対策に尽力しています。この理由について、カンボジアのフン・セン首相は「世界にはまだ、AIDSの治療法がないからだ」と述べています。

 

現在カンボジアは、１日にHIV新規感染者数を１件以下、AIDSによる死亡者数を３件以下にすることを目標としています。新型コロナウイルスと同じく、HIV感染拡大防止を成功させるためには、政府と国民が一致団結して撲滅を図ることが重要でしょう。

 

1 December 2020 is World AIDS Day. First started in 1988, it is an international day marked every year to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS infection, and to educate people on AIDS prevention and reduce discrimination against those affected by the disease.

 

Ever since AIDS was first detected in the early 1980s, millions of people have been infected and killed by the disease each year. In Cambodia as well, it was one of the countries in Asia with a very serious HIV epidemic back in the mid-1990s. According to the latest report released by the National AIDS Authority in Cambodia, as of 2019, a total of 73,000 people were living with HIV in Cambodia, and a total of 1,300 people died from the disease last year.

 

While new infection rates have dropped as compared to in the 90s, and more AIDS patients being able to receive medical treatment nowadays, the Cambodian government is not relaxing on carrying out more actions to fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. The reason gave by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is that, “Because the world has not found a cure for AIDS yet.”

 

As for now, Cambodia is working towards its goal to have no more than one new HIV infection per day, and no more than three deaths per day from AIDS. Just like the current Covid-19 pandemic situation, to successfully control the HIV epidemic, the responsibility does not lies on the government alone, but it requires the effort of all individuals as well.

 

参考文献・Reference(s)：

  • Khmer Times, “Combating HIV/AIDS Remains Government Priority”, Sar Socheath, 1 December 2020, https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50787827/combating-hiv-aids-remains-government-priority/
  • UNAIDS, “Press Statement: UNAIDS Supports Community and Government Effort In Cambodia”, 22 December 2014, https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/Press%20Statement%20Cambodia.pdf
  • Wikipedia, “World AIDS Day”, 30 November 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_AIDS_Day
  • Wikipedia, “Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS”, 28 November 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_HIV/AIDS