TUESDAY, July 1, (News Locale) - While Africa continues to be the center of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Asia is not far behind mainly due to the widespread incidence of unsafe sex. These are the findings of a report called “Redefining AIDS in Asia: Crafting an Effective Response” that was released by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. 

The 236-page report said that by 2020 at least 10 million Asians will be infected by HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. The report was drafted by an independent commission on AIDS in Asia that was set up in June 2006.

The report said the boom in HIV positive cases was expected because most Asian countries were lagging behind in responding to the prevailing situation. In India there are currently some 2.6 million people infected with HIV as per data available from 2006.

Some 10 million women in Asia are estimated to be involved in the sex trade and 75 million men are estimated to pay for it regularly. This means that there are 10 male clients for every sex worker in Asia and unprotected sex is one of the leading causes of HIV infection.

The report said sharing needles between drug addicts and unsafe sex between men were the other leading causes for HIV/AIDS in Asia. Last year around 440,000 people were infected with HIV in Asia and 300,000 succumbed to AIDS-related infections and diseases.

The report also said that AIDS has emerged as the single-largest cause of disease-related deaths and work days lost among 15-44-year-old adults in Asia. While praising the success of HIV initiatives in Thailand, Cambodia and Tamil Nadu, the report added that much more needs to be done to stop the spread of HIV in Asia.

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