Asia PR News

LOP BURI PROVINCE, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ –

At Famed Thai AIDS Temple Where Thousands Received Compassionate Hospice
Care Before Dying, Thailand’s Lop Buri Provincial Government, the Dramaraksa
Foundation and AIDS Healthcare Foundation Now Partner to Open Free AIDS
Treatment Center Providing Lifesaving Antiretroviral Treatment

The ‘Wat Phrabatnampo-Center of Hope’ Opens in a Formal Ceremony Friday,
August 31st at 9:30 am

In an innovative collaboration that will provide free HIV/AIDS care —
including lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (ART) — to people living with
advanced AIDS in Lop Buri Province, the Provincial Government, Lop Buri
Province; the Dramaraksa Foundation-Wat Phrabatnampo; and AIDS Healthcare
Foundation (AHF) will open their first free AIDS treatment clinic in Lop Buri,
Thailand with a formal dedication ceremony on Friday, August 31st at 9:30 am
(Wat Phrabatnampo, 75 miles north of Bangkok). The clinic, which will be known
as the ‘Wat Phrabatnampo-Center of Hope’ is located on the grounds of Wat
Phrabatnampo — Thailand’s world-renowned AIDS temple. Since 1992, thousands of
Thais living with AIDS have received compassionate hospice care at the temple.
Now, this famed temple — where so many have died of AIDS over the years —
will offer new hope for those living with the disease through the care and free
antiretroviral treatment that will be provided at the center. Other sites in
this collaboration will also be known as ‘Centers of Hope,’ and each will
support the Provincial Government’s efforts to expand and the scale-up of
delivery of standard antiretroviral treatment, care and support services to
those people in need throughout Lop Buri Province.

"It is a great privilege for AIDS Healthcare Foundation to partner in the
Kingdom of Thailand with the Provincial Government in Lop Buri and the
Dramaraksa Foundation to open this first ‘Center of Hope.’ Over the next five
years, AHF’s Asia Pacific Bureau in close collaboration with the Provincial
Health Department and the Dramaraksa Foundation will provide antiretroviral
treatment, medical care and support services at the centers extending life and
bringing hope for people living with HIV/AIDS," said Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing,
Asia/Pacific Bureau Chief for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the US’ largest
HIV/AIDS healthcare and prevention and education provider, which operates more
than 40 free AIDS treatment clinics in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean
and Asia. "I would like to offer thanks not only to our partners, but also to
Wora Booncherd, President of the Kasetsart University Alumni Association, USA
and the Board of Directors and Oraphan Boonthong in Bangkok, for first
introducing us to the Wat Phrabatnampo-Dramaraksa Foundation Hospice Care
program, and for educating us as to the tremendous need for such treatment and
compassionate care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS in Thailand."

"It is my honor to be here for the grand opening of the "Center of Hope"
clinic under tripartite collaboration between the Lop Buri Provincial
Government, AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Dramaraksa Foundation — Wat
Phrabatnampo," said Mr. Suwat Tantipat, Lop Buri Provincial Governor. "I feel
pleased for Lop Buri people and HIV patients, as this project gives hope and
supports the HIV patients just like its name, ‘Center of Hope.’ We need both
knowledge and understanding in order to support HIV patients. I believe this
project will give a better life quality to HIV patients and let them live a
normal life once again. I, on behalf of Lop Buri Provincial Government, promise
that if there is anything the Lop Buri Provincial Government could help with,
we would help with our full strength immediately."

"This is a very good time for us to be here together for the grand opening
of the ART ‘Center of Hope,’ The number of HIV patients has continued to rise
and increase rapidly, and many people are in need of ARV medicines and better
treatment and care services. We therefore must expand our services for HIV/AIDS
patients and serve their needs more effectively," said Dr. Wichai Thaitaworn,
Director of the Dramaraksa Foundation." As part of this partnership, the
Dramaraksa Foundation will provide AHF with infrastructure, space and basic
services at the centers in order to help AHF provide high quality HIV treatment
care and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Lop Buri Province.
We will also provide logistical local support; assist in the recruitment of
personnel and other necessary support to AHF to ensure smooth functioning of
the collaborative ART center. The Dramaraksa Foundation will also provide
services to increase community HIV/AIDS awareness, assist in the provision of
outreach services to increase knowledge of HIV/AIDS, ART treatment education
and conduct follow up when possible to ensure adherence and success of this new
collaborative ART treatment program."

"Thailand is an excellent example of what could be achieved in the fight
against HIV/AIDS when given the necessary support," said Henry E. Chang, Chief
of Global Affairs, AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "Today’s action by AHF and its
partners marks another important step toward expanding access to quality
HIV/AIDS treatment and care services as well as combating the harsh stigma and
discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in Thailand."

In an International Herald Tribune (October 16, 2006) news article late
last year, reporter Seth Mydans noted, " … Since 1984, one million people
have been infected in Thailand; 400,000 have died … the World Bank estimated
that without Thailand’s vigorous prevention program, a total of 7.7 million
people would have become infected." He also reported, " … Thailand has made
little headway in easing a harsh stigma that was fed by its successful campaign
against the disease … " and that, " … Thailand faces the need for two
seemingly contradictory campaigns, one to re-educate the public about the
horrors of the disease, the other to reassure it that infected people are not
dangerous."

"Thailand has long been recognized as a leader in the worldwide fight
against AIDS, and we are honored to be able to bring AHF’s clinical experience
and expertise to join Thailand in this battle to help save the lives of its
people," said Michael Weinstein, AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s President. "It is
my wish that this inaugural ‘Center of Hope’ treatment facility in Lop
Buri-AHF’s first treatment site in Thailand-will be the first of many in the
partnership, and that it also serves as a beacon of hope for those in need of
treatment. It is my heartfelt wish that in addition to providing quality ART
and care services, these centers also contribute to a greater understanding of
HIV/AIDS and help reduce the stigma that many of those living with the disease
have encountered."

Lop Buri Province
Lop Buri Province, one of the central provinces of Thailand, is located on
the east side of the Chao Phraya River Valley, between the Lopburi River and Pa
Sak Rivers. The province is subdivided into 11 districts. The districts are
further subdivided into 124 sub-districts and 1110 villages. The province has a
population of roughly 750,000.

HIV/AIDS in Thailand
According to the website, http://www.avert.org, "There are very few
developing countries in the world where public policy has been effective in
preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS on a national scale, but Thailand is an
exception. A massive programme to control HIV has reduced visits to commercial
sex workers by half, raised condom usage, decreased the prevalence of STIs
(Sexually Transmitted Infections) dramatically, and achieved substantial
reductions in new HIV infections. Its well funded, politically supported and
comprehensive prevention programmes have saved millions of lives, reducing the
number of new HIV infections from 143,000 in 1991 to 19,000 in 2003.
Nonetheless, more than 1-in-100 adults today in this country of 65 million
people are infected with HIV, and AIDS has become a leading cause of death."

SOURCE: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

CONTACT: Ged Kenslea,
Communications Director,
+1-323-860-5225 (work, Los Angeles),
+1-323-791-5526 (mobile),
gedk@aidshealth.org (UNITED STATES);

Chinkholal Thangsing,
MD, Asia Pacific Bureau Chief,
+91.11.(0) 98.1827.0687,
chinkholal.thangsing@aidshealth.org (INDIA);

Ms Oraphan Boonthong,
Official Contact Person,
+66. 818.3500.66,
oraphan_b@smccorp.co.th (THAILAND);

Henry E. Chang,
Chief of Global Affairs,
+1-917-400-8900 (mobile),
henry.chang@aidshealth.org (THE NETHERLANDS),

all of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Web site: http://www.aidshealth.org
http://www.avert.org