Mr. Daniel Baker
The Representative of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Daniel B. Baker was interviewed by Muhammad Fareed, Publisher & Managing Editor, Medical Review recently regarding the work, UNFPA is doing with regards to STD and HIV/AIDS. Following are the excerpts.
Q – Please tell something about yourself.
Ans – My name is Daniel B. Baker. I am the representative of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Before that, I was representative in Myammar, Burma for 4 years. Prior to that, I was the representative of Estemore for 3 years. I was in UNFPA Headquarters with different position for 10 year.
Q – Which are the sectors UNFPA is working in Pakistan.
Ans – Pakistan is a country in which UNFPA is working for a long time. The country has made a lot of progress and still a lot has to be done. As far as we concern, a major proactive work that has to be done is family planning. We see that, in Pakistan prevalence rate is stagnated and that would have to be reduced along with other things.
Q – What are the UNFPA’s future programs regarding HIV/AIDS in vulnerable groups.
Ans – We have this consultation since last two days. UNFPA is the main agency among UN agencies for the prevention among Sexual Transmission of HIV/AIDS. We are trying to reach vulnerably group and give them effective ways for preventing through sexual needs. The second thing we observe in this consultation is that to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS, we have to involve with the sex workers also.
Q – Are you interested in any other diseases like Hepatitis B, C or Malaria.
Ans – UNFPA basically work on Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Hepatitis, we haven’t worked uptill yet but hepatitis can be sexually transmitted. So infact we are working in the area of prevented of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Disease.
Q – Pakistan is a low prevalence country whereas HIV/AIDS is increasing day by day. What will you do for it.
Ans – We have to focus on vulnerable group because it is not a generalized epidemic. It is not very good to have general awareness campaign or tell population because that not how it spread. It spread through certain modes of contact including intravenous drug users, sharing of needles and by sexually transmission specially by Female Sex Workers and Male Sex Workers. In these population, we get them to use condom and through that we can stop it. These two things have to be done and it is important and useful. We can stop this by addressing and making more awareness.
Q – In Karachi, there is very big market of FSWs, MSWs and Enunchs. What will you do about this community.
Ans – Exactly, the same thing we shall do what we are doing now for other communities. These people should be involved in these kind of programs to protect them-selves. It is not for us to design the program but those people themselves should setup programs to lead it to have their own care educators. In many kinds of campaign people have themselves to be involved.
Q – How to use print media in creating awareness.
Ans – I think we have this consultation because of stigmatization and discrimination against FSWs, MSWs, Enunch exist. If we can sensitize the medical community about their needs that stigmatization stop the way of prevention program then people think that they are not doing their job. Through print media we can educate medical community, political community that if they want to stop this epidemic so they have to respond to each community.