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Media Releases 2006
24 April 2006
Australia assisting Bangladesh to fight HIV/AIDS
The Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Mr Douglas Foskett is seen with Mr Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, MP while addressing the students of Mirza Ahamed Ispahani School and Kattali Nurul Hoque High School during a tour to HIV/AIDS Program of Ghashful in Chittagong on April 24, 2006 |
During a visit to a life-skill based program of Ghashful in Chittagong for students for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, Australian High Commissioner Mr Douglas Foskett said, “Australia firmly believes that education needs to equip young people with life-skills to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and to mitigate the effects on people living with HIV/AIDS and the community more generally”. The Australian High Commissioner further mentioned that Australia is willing to share the successful lessons they have learned domestically to help other nations prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Key aspects of the successful Australian domestic response to HIV/AIDS include high-level political leadership and partnership approaches to addressing the issue.
Mr Foskett has made a visit to HIV/AIDS programs of YPSA, Ashar Alo Society and Ghashful on April 24, 2006. During the visit he met with key representatives from various other Chittagong based organizations such as Bandhu, Nowzuan and HELP implementing HIV/AIDS programs.
The High Commissioner emphasized the need to involve the youths in the fight against HIV/AIDS because of their high vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and its consequences. Open and direct communication and access to accurate and relevant information through targeted education initiatives on modes of transmission and safer practices plays an important role to prevent the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS.
In Bangladesh, Australia is currently supporting a number of HIV/AIDS related research activities conducted by ICDDRB to promote evidence based programming to help Bangladesh combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. Australia also assists UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and Pacific (UNAIDS-RST) and its co-sponsor agencies such as United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) to combat the HIV/AIDS in South Asia regionally to strengthen the capacities of national governments and civil society organizations to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.