Indonesia and Vietnam may face AIDS pandemic

Recent reports regarding the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection epidemic in member countries (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) task force, indicated that more than 1 million people in Indonesia and Vietnam may be infected with HIV by the turn of the century; the number of HIV-positive people in Southeast Asia would be greater than 2 million. All the risk factors for the spread of HIV are present in Indonesia: high-risk sexual behavior, poverty, high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), an active tourist industry, increasing population mobility, and many seaports that are frequently visited by sailors from high-prevalence countries. Although Indonesia, with a population of 200 million, currently has 303 reported cases of HIV, this number could rise to 750,000 by the year 2000. According to the report of Professor Le Dien Hong of the National AIDS committee in Vietnam, the cumulative number of people with HIV in Vietnam will be 300,000 by the year 2000; this includes 20,000 persons living with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and more than 15000 dead. 90,000 Filipinos may be HIV positive by 2000; Malaysia has 16,000 HIV positive persons; Singapore reported 477; and Brunei stated 350 foreigners and 8 Bruneians were positive.