Andrea Downer, Freelance Writer

Mexico City, Mexico:

As pressure continues to mount for world governments to address the drivers behind the increased vulnerability of men who have sex with men (MSM) to contracting HIV, Panama became the most recent Latin American country to repeal its sodomy law. The law dated back to 1913.

The news was a breath of fresh air for the daily Plenary Session at the International AIDS Conference now being held in Mexico City where sex between men and their increased vulnerability to contracting HIV due to legal and social taboos has been the focus.

Dr Jorge Saavedra Lopez, head of the National HIV/AIDS programme in Mexico, one of three speakers at the plenary, urged all involved in the global fight against HIV and AIDS to use scientific evidence, financing and a human rights framework as the weapons to tackle the growing epidemic among men who have sex with men globally.

He pointed out that while scientific evidence to guide programmes for MSM exist, they were not being amplified and given credence.

"A vast amount of scientific evidence exist that can effectively guide programmes to address the crucial issues affecting MSM, however, this is not being done," said Dr Saavedra Lopez.

Growing epidemic

He said criminalisation of male-male sex activity is a major driver of the epidemic among MSM in many countries including Jamaica.

UNAIDS' 2008 Global Report on the AIDS epidemic, which was released early last week, placed Jamaica among the 10 countries worldwide, with the highest reported HIV prevalence among MSM.

Jamaica's HIV prevalence among MSM is between 25 and 30 per cent, 21.3 per cent in Guyana and 20 per cent in Trinidad. There were no specific data for Cuba, but UNAIDS estimates that male to male sex is the main driver of the HIV epidemic in that communist state.

However, UNAIDS said HIV epidemics in The Dominican Republic and Haiti - the two countries with the largest HIV epidemic in the region, have stabilised.

Jamaica is among 86 countries around the world which criminalise male to male sexual activity and homosexuality is punishable by death in seven countries.

Dr Saavedra Lopez, stressed the need for government response to address the current crisis facing MSM and said only 31 per cent of governments worldwide, reported on MSM activities in their annual country reports to UNAIDS.

Key issues

The annual country reports to UNAIDS provide updates on the epidemic from the country level and outline actions taken to address key issues.

Approximately 25,000 delegates are attending the six-day conference being hosted by the International AIDS Society. The conference, which is focusing on scaling up access to treatment, prevention and care for persons living with HIV and AIDS, is being held under the theme, "Universal Access NOW!" The conference ends on Friday, August 8.

This article is published via a partnership with The Gleaner and Panos Caribbean.