"Spread of AIDS in Asia's Militaries a Threat to Security"
Associated Press (05.16.03)::Daniel Lovering

HIV is increasing among Asian military personnel, and could threaten regional
security if infections rise to levels seen in Africa, a Honolulu-based US
consultant said Friday. Asian soldiers spreading the disease while serving
abroad as international peacekeepers also put wider security at risk, said
Gerard Bradford, director of the Center of Excellence in Disaster Management
and Humanitarian Assistance, headquartered at Tripler Army Medical Center.

"Aside from the pandemic and the health problems and all the tragedy and loss of
life that HIV/AIDS has created ... it presents a real threat to the stability of
the region," Bradford said. The 13th Asia-Pacific Military Medicine Conference
in Bangkok May 11-16 brought together hundreds of delegates from about two dozen
countries to discuss medical issues facing armed forces in
countries across the region.

The Thai Royal Army has been particularly successful in combating the spread of
HIV/AIDS in its ranks through prevention efforts, he said, but "it's clear there
are other parts of Asia that are significantly affected." "Other countries are
seeing it rise dramatically. It's intravenous drug use as well as sexual
activity," he said. Bradford declined to say which countries or peacekeeping
forces were most affected by the fatal illness. But he said Cambodia, India and
Vietnam are "working the problem." Bradford said his organization, which works
with several international aid agencies, attended the conference to start a
regional discussion to determine the extent of the problem and urge aggressive
action to stop it. "I think all the trends are
for increased incidence, and the idea is to try to mitigate that
increase as quickly and aggressively as we can," Bradford added.