UN Deploys Aids-Prevention Teams to Haiti to Pre-empt HIV Spread

In a joint operation between the United Nations and UNAids, teams have been sent to Haiti ahead of a main contingent of peacekeeping troops to prevent the spread of HIV. This marks the first instance of the UN and UNAids deploying teams to a region simultaneously, aiming to establish a comprehensive Aids prevention program targeting peacekeepers and civilian staff. The initiative is seen as a test-case for HIV prevention in conflict zones, particularly in regions where Aids has a significant impact on peacekeepers and local populations.

Key Takeaways:

• The joint operation between the UN and UNAids is a response to calls from troop-providing countries for better Aids protection, with a focus on preventing HIV transmission among peacekeepers and local populations.
• One in 20 Haitians is infected with HIV, the highest rate outside Africa, while in Brazil, 2% of the population is infected, highlighting the need for Aids prevention efforts.
• UNAids is providing condoms, HIV education, counselling, and testing services for peacekeepers, with similar efforts planned in Sudan and Burundi to address humanitarian crises.
• Brazil, Argentina, and Chile are sending 2,350 men to replace the US, French, and Canadian interim emergency force in Haiti, who lack significant experience abroad and face the task of disarming thousands of rebels.
• The establishment of the sex industry that accompanies military peacekeeping efforts is a concern for the UN, as it creates a flashpoint for HIV transmission between populations.
• Sexually transmitted diseases among the armed forces can be up to 50 times higher during conflict, and up to two-and-a-half times that of the general population in peacetime.

Statistics:

• 1 in 20 Haitians is infected with HIV, the highest rate outside Africa (Source: UNAids).
• 2 percent of the Brazilian population is infected with HIV (Source: UNAids).
• 300,000 people in Sudan face starvation due to fighting between African rebels and government-backed Arab militias (Source: UN).
• 300,000 people have been killed in the Hutu-Tutsi conflict in Burundi (Source: UN).
• 2,350 men from Brazil, Argentina, and Chile are being deployed to Haiti to replace the US, French, and Canadian troops (Source: Article).
• Sexually transmitted diseases among the armed forces can be up to 50 times higher during conflict and up to two-and-a-half times that of the general population in peacetime (Source: Sinead Ryan, technical officer at UNAids).

Sources:

• UNAids (Executive Director, Peter Piot)
• Sinead Ryan, technical officer at UNAids
• United Nations (General Assembly and humanitarian reports)
• Article (author not specified)