The Hidden HIV Epidemic Revealed

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 06 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Delegates gathering at the International AIDS 2008 conference in Mexico City this week will hear stark news from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance about the hidden HIV crisis among transgender people.

New research is revealing shockingly high rates of HIV among the transgender communities of Latin America and Asia. In some communities, it's as high as 42% - one of the highest percentages ever registered in any community group.

"The principle cause of death among my peers is HIV-related, explained Claudia Baudracco, an Argentinean transgender activist and co-founder of Argentinean Association of Transgendered People.

"There were fifteen of us when we got together and now [just over ten years later] there are only three of us still alive."

The HIV rates in transgender people are 'hidden' because they are being included within the wider group of men who have sex with men (MSM) when it comes to epidemiological data, HIV prevention programmes and the allocation of funding.

The studies that have disaggregated the data between the two populations show that HIV prevalence rates among transgender people are often considerably higher than MSM.

Alvaro Bermejo, Executive Director of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance said, "Transgender people are at particular risk to HIV as they face stigma, discrimination, verbal and physical abuse on a daily basis. They are often forced out of home at an early age and many turn to sex work to survive.

"Giving out condoms, whilst important, is not enough. Concerted action is needed to strengthen organisations of transgender people for them to influence inclusive health policies that increase their access to health services. Ensuring that funds are allocated specifically to this population group and that they manage the funds is also critical.

"We need focused research studies to include transgender people in the design and implementation such as was done by the National AIDS Programme in Argentina and acknowledge transgender people as having their own identity," he said.

Transgender people have limited access to healthcare and when they do the care provided is often stigmatising. They are treated as men and discriminated for looking like women. The situation is worse for transgender people living with HIV; few are able to access ARV treatment, even in countries where the state has committed to universal access to treatment.

Notes

Transgender refers to a person who is born as one gender but spends some, or all of their time functioning wholly or partly as the other gender. The term in this instance also includes transsexuals, individuals who have sex reassignment surgery and transvestites who are individuals who choose to dress in clothing associated with the opposite gender.

Members of the press are invited to the press conference:

The hidden HIV epidemic.
A new response to the HIV crisis among transgender people
Monday 4 August 2008. 5-5.45pm. Press room 3
Media centre, Hall A, Level 1, Centro Banamex,
Mexico City

Representatives of the transgender community, including Marcela Romero, regional coordinator of the Latin American & Caribbean Transgender Network will outline the challenges they face and introduce some innovative approaches to accessing HIV services and securing their human rights.

They will be joined by experts from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance (the Alliance) who will present the data. The Alliance is a global partnership of nationally-based organisations working to support communities to reduce the spread of HIV and meet the challenge of AIDS.

The table below compiles recent available data from countries in Latin America and Asia between 2001 and 2007. When possible the data has been compared to HIV prevalence rates among MSM. An additional column has been provided to compare prevalence rates among these two populations to the most recent prevalence rates compiled in the UNAIDS 2008 epidemiological report.

1. City, Country
2. Prevalence Rate among Transgender People
3. HIV prevalence rate among MSM
4. National prevalence rates (2008)

1. Argentina (2007)
2. 34.4%
3. 14% (2001)
4. 0.5%

Peru (2007)
32-45%
18.5% (2002)
0.5%

El Salvador (2003)
25%
23.8%
0.8%

Mumbai, India (2007)
42.2%
8.4%
0.3%

Chang Mai, Thailand (2005)
17.3%
15.3%
1.4%

Phuket, Thailand (2005)
11.9%
5.5%

Cambodia (2005)
9.8%
2.6%
0.8%

Indonesia (2003)
22%
2.5%
0.2%

International HIV/AIDS Alliance