International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific

The International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) is the largest forum on AIDS in the region. The Congress serves as a forum for sharing knowledge and experiences on HIV/AIDS issues among stakeholders in the region. For over 20 years, ICAAP has played a critical role in raising public awareness, building political commitment and strengthening advocacy networks for HIV and AIDS responses.

The 11th ICAAP is being held in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2013, and Rei Foundation has provided support for a satellite session entitled Migrants in East Asia: Narrowing the Gaps for Treatment Access of Migrants, at the ICAAP.

Countries in the East Asian region with strong economies have attracted many migrants. Despite this, there has been a lack of significant policies to improve the situation of migrants with HIV/AIDS in these countries, and migrants’ access to the treatment, care and prevention of HIV/AIDS tends to be hampered.

There have been many efforts to improve access to treatment for migrants in the region, but there are still large gaps in access between nationals and migrants.

To secure equal access to treatment, a clear vision to establish policies which support migrants' right to access health care is necessary. In this session, the progress and limitations of migrant access in Japan were reviewed as a case study, and the role of interaction between sending and receiving countries was explored.

Finally, a policy recommendation for the receiving countries in East Asia was made, as migrant access to HIV services is one of the most crucial issues for the HIV response in East Asia.

Presenters:
Invisible Reality of Migrant’s Accessibility to Health Care
K. Kijtiwatchakul (Thailand)

Progress and Limitations: Access to HIV and Health Care of Migrants in Japan as an Example of the Situation in East Asia
T. Sawada (Japan)

Migration Policies and Their Impact on Access to Health of Migrants with HIV:
The Experience in East Asia

A. Quesada-Bondad (Philippines)


Organisers:

Rei Foundation Limited
Services for Health in Asian & African Regions
Africa Japan Forum

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