Protected sex could save Asia

By staff and wire reports

By 2005, up to 800,000 people every year are expected to die of AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region, says the World Health Organization (WHO).

Mounting infections are likely to depend on Asia's growing sex industry and how heavily populated countries like China and India respond.

Increasing condom use, says the WHO, is key to reducing infections as Asia's population becomes more mobile, attitudes change, and the region's sex industry continues to expand.

Condom may herald change

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The WHO warns that Asia's sex industry, which is being fueled by record profits, survives largely without condoms.

In Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines it accounts for an estimated two to 14 percent of GDP alone, even in rich and highly developed Japan the WHO says it accounts for one to three percent.

The steady decline in Thailand and Cambodia's HIV cases -- the virus that attacks the immune system and leads to AIDS -- may be due to the wider use of condoms, a sign, the WHO believes could be the way to avoiding epidemics elsewhere in Asia.

Cambodia, the worst-hit country outside of Africa, saw sales of condoms jump to 11.5 million in 1998, from about 100,000 in 1994.

Thailand's 100 percent condom program has prevented millions of HIV infections in the last decade.

Reversing HIV infection rates in Cambodia and Thailand has been successful due to a clear focus on the main source of the disease -- commercial sex workers and their clients, say the WHO.

Climbing infection rates

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Asia is now in the front line in the battle against the disease as infection rates climb, yet in part this is due to improved reporting techniques and greater awareness.

However, there is increasing concern that the disease is under-reported in the region and that assistance may drop as funds are diverted to Africa.

Although in percentage terms those with HIV in Asia remains small, the region's large population means that these figures translate into significant numbers.

In Asia the HIV/AIDS crisis is yet to peak with increasing numbers contracting the virus.

Reuters contributed to this report.