AHF Urges ASEAN to Lead the Fight on HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific Region

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest nonprofit provider of HIV/AIDS medical care, has called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take a leadership role in working toward ending AIDS as a public health threat in the Asia-Pacific region.

“AHF is proud to collaborate with the majority of ASEAN countries and their civil society organizations (CSOs). At a recent UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board meeting, Senior Minister Ieng Mouly, Chairman of Cambodia’s National AIDS Authority, reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to strengthening community-based responses to HIV/AIDS,” said Dr. Chhim Sarath, AHF Asia Bureau Chief. “As we welcome the New Year, we urge ASEAN and its member states to enhance collaboration and establish robust mechanisms to develop a ‘Road Map to End AIDS in the ASEAN Region,’ with active engagement from CSOs like AHF.”

AHF, which serves more than 400,000 clients across 10 Asia-Pacific countries, is eager to contribute its expertise to support ASEAN’s ambitious goals. AHF proposes working through platforms such as the ASEAN GO-NGOs Forum to promote collaboration, address inequalities, eliminate stigma and discrimination, and ensure access to the prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

“The Asia-Pacific region is home to a large share of the global population affected by HIV/AIDS, and ASEAN’s success in addressing the epidemic could have a far-reaching global impact,” added AHF President Michael Weinstein. “By building partnerships with governments, civil society, and international agencies—and focusing on community-based approaches—ASEAN can demonstrate that ending AIDS as a public health threat is within reach. This progress would save lives, reduce healthcare costs, boost workforce productivity, and strengthen communities—while setting an example for other regions to follow.”

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is a global non-profit organization providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to over 2 million people in 48 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Europe. We are currently the largest non-profit provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the world. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare