A Burmese aids patient with her photo taken before infecting with HIV

According to the UN's World Health Organization (WHO), six million people in developing countries need anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs, but less than 300,000 actually receive it.

The UNAids estimates 40 million people around the world are infected with HIV/Aids. Of these, 2.5 million are children.

A Burmese sex worker in Thailand says some men insist on having sex without the use of condoms

Around 14,000 people are infected with the disease every day

Aids in Burma

In Burma, the number of victims who receive ARV drugs through non-governmental organisations is only around 200.

UNAids estimates that up to 620,000 people in Burma are infected with HIV/Aids.

Use of condoms

Campaigners say the global epidemic can only be controlled if the use of condoms is promoted.

The Americans have also been criticised for their policy of advocating sexual abstinence to prevent Aids at the International Aids conference in Bangkok.

Are we doing enough to combat Aids? Is urging sexual abstinence enough? Have you been affected by Aids or known anyone with Aids? Send us your comments and stories.

Some of the email reponses...

Who thinks we are doing enough for AIDS? First, most of the AIDS and HIV cases are in the developing countries, most of them without enough money and facilities to combat the endemic. But do the world richest countries do anything to help them? US spend a lot of money on weapons (more then 300 billions dollars a year) but how much does US spend on helping these countries fight against AIDS? About Burma, the situation is devastating. The country's health infrastructure is in a very bad situation:- lack of doctors and nurses, lack of instruments and drugs, lack of proper training, and the government is not spending anything on health care. The health spending is just around one percent of its military spending. But should we do nothing and just blame the government? I believe helping to fight AIDS in Burma should not be mixed with the political situation in Myanmar. The people are suffering and everyone is turning a blind eye on the situation and just blaming the government. I believe we should all put aside our political believes and join our hands in the fight against AIDS for the future of our country.
Thet Naing, Rangoon, Burma

Burmese government needs to tell about HIV epidemic to the world honestly and cooperate with international community because the Burmese government doesn't have enough resources to prevent infection in the country.
Po Mya, Mandalay, Burma

We should not hide about sex and Aids matter. Burmese government should care about Burmese citizens. I love Burma and Burmese people.
Mason Lin, S.F, USA

Most of Burmese girls become sex worker because they can't find a job to feed themselves and their families because of our weak economy.
Thant Zin, UK

AIDS is the most dangerous epidemic in Burma. As a poor and uneducated nation, AIDS spread from day to day. Especially sexual relation with virus infected person, but barber shops and monasteries using single knife to cut hair may also cause HIV distribution.
Aung Kyaw Soe, Rangoon, Burma

I totally agree with Ko Nay Linn who has been jailed in 1990s that there is still huge AIDS problems in jails across Burma. I have also been in notorious Insein jail for protesting military government in 1990s; fortunately, it was just 5 months long. I saw many prisoners being shot by single syringe. In some cases, prison authority gave half dose to a prisoner and continued the rest to second prisoner. When I attended to prison hospital, I saw a guy suffering AIDS who was going to die. I did not see any special treatment given to him. He was given a bath on the ground because he could not even stand up himself. I also saw many cases of homo-sexual cases mostly forced by senior prisoners. They tried to force new young comers to concede homosexual acts by either giving favours or threats. If a person tries to report the assault, he will have no chance to survive in jail. There are many events of murder done by axes, homemade knife (so called chuan) in jail. I believe! Prison authorities exchange these criminal events to senior prisoners for their cooperation to help oppress ordinary prisoners. Who can claim justice, law and order must be existed in jail even when they merely exist on paper?
Precious, USA