Myanmar

Alliance supported workshop in Myanmar, 2004.

Myanmar has one of the most serious epidemics in Asia, with an estimated national adult prevalence of between 1-2%. HIV/ continues to increase in various populations groups. Among military recruits tested in Yangon and Mandalay, HIV prevalence has increased from 0.5% in 1992 to 1.4% in 2000, and to 2.09% in 2003.

In 2002, there were an estimated 330,000 people living with HIV in Myanmar. Most of these (65%) are believed to have acquired the virus through heterosexual contact, but just over a quarter have become infected as a result of injecting drug use, and a further 5% as a result of contaminated blood. Information on infection among men having sex with men is extremely limited, but HIV prevalence is believed to be extremely high among this group, with stigma and discrimination greatly hampering prevention activities.

An estimated 18% of people living with HIV require immediate anti-retroviral treatment, but health services are poor and access to anti-retrovirals is extremely limited.

What we do

Established in 2004, the Alliance programme in Myanmar aims to mobilise new non-governmental and community-based organisations to incorporate HIV work within their programmes, and to strengthen those local organisations already working in this area, by providing funding and technical support.

Supported by the Fund for HIV/AIDS in Myanmar (FHAM), the programme focuses on work with key populations affected by HIV: specifically, people living with HIV/AIDS, men who have sex with men and sex workers. The types of activities that will be supported include peer education and outreach (including condom distribution), community care and support for people living with HIV, the involvement of people living with HIV, and advocacy and partnership building.

Once the Alliance has completed ongoing capacity assessments among non-governmental and community-based organisation in the Yangon area, the programme will begin to provide them with intensive technical support with HIV skills – such as counselling, safe sex skills and communications skills – as well as organisational development skills – such as project management, financial management, documentation, and participatory monitoring and evaluation.