Achievements and Key Challenges in the National AIDS Policies and Responses of Thailand 2007- 2011 - ประเทศไทยประสบความสำเร็จมากน้อยเพียงใด ภายใต้แผนยุทธศาสตร์เอดส์ชาติ พ.ศ. 2550-2554

Abstract

      The objectives of this study were to assess the achievements and key challenges in the National HIV/AIDS responses during 2007-2011, and propose recommendations from the findings to introduce effective mechanisms towards the subsequent five-year national AIDS plan 2012-2016. The methodology of this study comprised both qualitative and quantitative approaches: documentary reviews; focus group discussion and in-depth interviews with key actors and policy makers at national and local levels. The assessment was conducted in five provinces among four regions of Thailand from February to December 2011. It was found that access to essential HIV prevention and control programs among target population (female sex workers - FSW, men who have sex with men - MSM), youth,
factory workers) was lower than 50%; and the trends had not increased except for HIV testing for pregnant women and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission. However, access to care and treatment with antiretroviral drugs had increased steadily to almost 240,000 cases of people living with
HIV since the inclusion of antiretroviral therapy into the universal health coverage benefit package in 2005. On the target of halving HIV incidence, condom use rates among FSW, MSM, youth and casual couples were low and inadequate to achieve the target. For achieving MDG6, Thailand was on track to reduce and halt the spread of HIV infection, but there were some indications that the HIV epidemic could re-emerge. Findings from health financing show that over 70% of total spending on HIV/AIDS in 2011 was spent on care and treatment, and less than 13% was spent on prevention activities. Policy recommendations for the next five-year plan were to improve policy planning and implementation processes, with effective mechanisms to translate policies into action and practices at national and
provincial levels. More financial resources had to be allocated for HIV prevention and control programs and activities. There was an urgent need to improve the HIV/AIDS database and strengthening monitoring and evaluation system.
Key words: National AIDS policy and responses, universal access to ARV, Thailand, Millennium Development Goals (MDG), HIV/AIDS