By Chhay Channyda
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
A local network of NGOs dealing with HIV/AIDS has condemned an article in a new Khmer-language magazine for disseminating inaccurate information about the disease.
The article, in the third edition of the magazine "The Moon," claims that wealthy people with HIV/AIDS can live healthier lives through blood transfusions and injecting anti-retroviral drugs.
The HIV/AIDS Coordinating Committee, a network of dozens of NGOs dealing with HIV/AIDS, said in a statement that the article also reported how a dead husband had helped to "'halt/stop' the AIDS progress/development in the body of his widow."
The article was published Dec 1, which was World AIDS Day.
"This information is not balanced and does not recognize the key medically accepted good practice standard of HIV treatment," HACC said.
Hoeung Vireak, co-director of the Vocational Training Center and Counseling Center for Women and Children, otherwise known as NYEMO Cambodia, said that beyond the medical impossibility of the woman's dead husband halting the progress of her disease, the article had two other falsehoods.
Blood transfusions are not used to treat the virus, and anti-retroviral drugs are taken in pill form, he said.
The author of the article, who gave his name as Rock, apologized for including inaccurate information, which he conceded was based on his own recollection of the disease and not scientific research.
"I am sorry to hear about the reaction, but I accept the blame because I used my own opinions," he said
Lan Vann Seng, deputy director for the National Center for AIDS, Dermatology and STDs, said HIV/AIDS articles should be based on reputable sources and trusted reference materials.
Dr Nicole Seguy, HIV/AIDS medical officer for the World Health Organization, said that the poor in Cambodia do have treatment options available to them.
She said NCHADS has at least 40 treatment centers across Cambodia for those who need it and even more voluntary and confidential counseling and testing centers for infected persons who don’t yet need medication.
(Additional reporting by John Maloy)
The article, in the third edition of the magazine "The Moon," claims that wealthy people with HIV/AIDS can live healthier lives through blood transfusions and injecting anti-retroviral drugs.
The HIV/AIDS Coordinating Committee, a network of dozens of NGOs dealing with HIV/AIDS, said in a statement that the article also reported how a dead husband had helped to "'halt/stop' the AIDS progress/development in the body of his widow."
The article was published Dec 1, which was World AIDS Day.
"This information is not balanced and does not recognize the key medically accepted good practice standard of HIV treatment," HACC said.
Hoeung Vireak, co-director of the Vocational Training Center and Counseling Center for Women and Children, otherwise known as NYEMO Cambodia, said that beyond the medical impossibility of the woman's dead husband halting the progress of her disease, the article had two other falsehoods.
Blood transfusions are not used to treat the virus, and anti-retroviral drugs are taken in pill form, he said.
The author of the article, who gave his name as Rock, apologized for including inaccurate information, which he conceded was based on his own recollection of the disease and not scientific research.
"I am sorry to hear about the reaction, but I accept the blame because I used my own opinions," he said
Lan Vann Seng, deputy director for the National Center for AIDS, Dermatology and STDs, said HIV/AIDS articles should be based on reputable sources and trusted reference materials.
Dr Nicole Seguy, HIV/AIDS medical officer for the World Health Organization, said that the poor in Cambodia do have treatment options available to them.
She said NCHADS has at least 40 treatment centers across Cambodia for those who need it and even more voluntary and confidential counseling and testing centers for infected persons who don’t yet need medication.
(Additional reporting by John Maloy)
1 comment:
It is irresponsible to spread false information about HIV and AIDS. In Cambodia, this includes a belief that eating a lot of jackfruit would vaccinate you against HIV and AIDS, or having sex with a virgin girl would cure the infected person of HIV and AIDS because the virus would be completely removed from the infected person and transferred to the girl instead. In this false belief, if the infected person was female then she would have no hope of a cure because having sex with a virgin boy would not have the same effect. In truth, the no-longer-a-virgin girl will become another victim of HIV and AIDS while the perpetrator remains infected.
It is believed that experts are still debating about the true nature of HIV and AIDS. There are two sides in this argument. The mainstream side includes international organisations and pharmaceutical companies. The alternative side is comprised mostly of independent experts. Information from the mainstream side is readily and widely available. If this mishap author of the controversial magazine article, or anyone who is interested in the alternative view of HIV and AIDS, wants study the other side of the argument the following websites are recommended:
http://www.theothersideofaids.com
http://www.aliveandwell.org
Just keep an open mind and make your own conclusion.
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