HIV and AIDS estimates in China
In January 2006, the Chinese government along with WHO and UNAIDS jointly estimated that 650,000 people were living with HIV in China, including about 75,000 AIDS patients. During 2005 there were around 70,000 new HIV infections and 25,000 AIDS deaths. These large numbers have to be considered in the context of China's extremely large population which is estimated at around 1,300 million.
The figure of 650,000 is lower than the previously published estimate of 840,000 in 2003. This is not because prevalence is falling, but is due to better data and improved methods of estimation. The number of reported AIDS cases is lower than the estimated number because of massive under reporting, especially in the rural areas. This is for a variety of reasons which include a shortage of testing equipment and trained health staff, as well as the continuing stigma.
"Exact figures are difficult to arrive at because government at local levels are very reticent to report on actual cases, a situation compounded by individuals who are reluctant to come forward because of discrimination." - Qi Xiaoqiu, director of China's Department of Disease Control.
Estimates of future infections are equally difficult, but UNAIDS and other organisations have estimated that by 2010 there could be a generalised epidemic with between ten and twenty million HIV positive Chinese.
HIV and AIDS estimates in India
There is disagreement over how many people are currently living with HIV in India. UNAIDS (the United Nations agency that co-ordinates global efforts to fight HIV) estimates that there were 5.7 million people in India living with HIV by the end of 2005, suggesting that India has a higher number of people living with HIV than any other country in the world. On the other hand, NACO has established an estimate of 5.2 million people, which indicates that there are less infected people in India than in South Africa. Either way, it is clear that the number affected by the epidemic is huge.
By the end of July 2005, the total number of AIDS cases reported to NACO was 111,608. Of this number, 32,567 were women, and 37% were under the age of 30. These figures are not completely accurate reflections of the actual situation though, as large numbers of AIDS cases go unreported.
Overall, around 0.9% of India’s population is living with HIV. While this may seem a low rate, India’s population is vast, so the actual number of people living with HIV is remarkably high. There are so many people living in India that a mere 0.1% increase in the HIV prevalence would increase the estimated number of people living with HIV by over half a million.
The national HIV prevalence has risen dramatically since the start of the epidemic, but a study released at the beginning of 2006 suggests that the HIV infection rate has fallen in southern India, the region that has been hit hardest by AIDS. In addition, NACO has released figures suggesting that the overall rate of new HIV infections in the country is slowing. Researchers claim that this decline is the result of successful prevention campaigns, which have led to an increase in condom use.
Some AIDS activists are doubtful of the suggestion that the situation is improving, though:
“It is the reverse. All the NGOs I know have recorded increases in the number of people accepting help because of HIV. I am really worried that we are just burying our head in the sand over this.” Anjali Gopalan, the Naz Foundation, Delhi
Future of HIV/AIDS
in India
Various groups have made predictions about the effect that AIDS will have on India in the future, and there has been a lot of dispute about the accuracy of these estimates. For instance, a 2002 report by the CIA's National Intelligence Council predicted 20 million to 25 million AIDS cases in India by 2010 - more than any other country in the world. 51 Yet the government has claimed that these figures are “completely inaccurate”, and has accused those who cite them of “spreading panic”. The government has also disputed predictions that India’s epidemic is “on an African trajectory”, although it claims to acknowledge the seriousness of the crisis.
Ruben del Prado, deputy UNAIDS country coordinator for India, has predicted that “there is going to be a reversal of the epidemic by 2008 and 2009”.
This does not correlate with other UN-related estimates, however, which have suggested that:
India's adult HIV prevalence will peak at 1.9% in 2019.
The number of AIDS deaths in India (which was estimated at 2.7 million for the period 1980-2000) will rise to 12.3 million during 2000-15, and to 49.5 million during 2015-50.
Economic growth in India will slow by almost a percentage point per year as a result of AIDS by 2019.
Whatever the exact figures turn out to be, it is clear that HIV and AIDS will have a devastating effect on India in the future, and that as much as possible needs to be done to minimise this impact.
“The challenges India faces to overcome this epidemic are enormous. Yet India possesses in ample quantities all the resources needed to achieve universal access to HIV prevention and treatment… defeating AIDS will require a significant intensification of our efforts, in India, just as in the rest of the world”
Peter Piot, Director of UNAIDS.
In China
If HIV/AIDS prevention is not made a priority in China, the country will be facing HIV epidemics that will be difficult to contain and expensive to deal with. HIV/AIDS in China could endanger national development and security, both personal and social. It is important to keep in mind that in China, the many millions who are vulnerable to HIV today do not belong to small isolated groups or pockets in society. Instead, vulnerable populations interact extensively with the general population and in fact in many instances they are the general population.
"China has everything to gain if it can stem the tide of the AIDS epidemic, and everything to lose if it fails" - Kofi Annan.
Mother to child transmission of HIV remains limited in China. However, once the number of women of childbearing age infected with HIV from their partners increases, so will the incidence of transmission to children. Also, HIV/AIDS poses a great threat to gains made in child survival.
The Chinese government also estimates that 260,000 children may be orphaned by 2010 although, again, these numbers are disputed, with AIDS activists and NGO workers in Henan estimating that as many as a million children in that province alone are or will become orphans as a result of the blood collection disaster. Many school age AIDS orphans were forced out of school when they could no longer afford school fees, or because they must work and care for sick parents.
Some of the major factors that have contributed to the relatively slow response to AIDS in China include not only a lack of openness in confronting the epidemic, but also a lack of commitment and leadership in many levels of government (provincial and local levels), a lack of adequate resources, a crumbling public health system and severe stigma and discrimination against people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.
It is feared that China might soon have more people living with HIV than any other country in the world, if the recently improved prevention programmes are not rapidly brought up to scale.
"It would be fantastic if China could show the world how to contain the HIV/AIDS epidemic... However, should we fail, the consequences would not only be catastrophic for China – they would be felt all over the world.” - Richard Feachem, Executive Director of the Global Fund.
"Unless China acts decisively, it will find itself on an African trajectory, just 15 years behind. In Africa, governments and businesses are looking back at what they should and could have done - in China, there is still time to avert the worst-case scenario." - John Ruggie of Harvard University.
(SOURCE: http://www.avert.org/)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Contact and Communication
Contact and communication: to express and to listen. There is an old saying in Chinese "silence is gold." A clear conversation takes not only articulate speech, but also full attention must be paid when listening to the others. Respect and understanding is the key to communicating effectively.
Role of Spirituality, Materialism and Religions (Buddhism and Confucianism) in Promoting Social Harmony and Peace in globalised India and China.
India is a multi diverse country. With the origins of Hinduism and Buddhism in India, religion is considered to be extremely important.
Buddhism commenced in Northeast India about 500 B.C. through the teaching of Siddhartha Gautama, often known subsequent to his experience of "enlightenment" as Sakyamuni. It is estimated that today there are a little over 250 million Buddhists in the world. In the U.S.A. alone there are about 5 million, the majority of whom are Asian immigrants or their descendants. However, in recent years, numerous Americans of English and European descent have also adopted Buddhism.
From India by way of Central Asia, Buddhism began its penetration into China around the 1st century C.E. There it encountered the already developed systems of Confucianism and Taoism. The latter in particular provided the terminology and numerous seemingly analogous concepts for subsequent centuries of effort devoted to the translation of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese and the establishment of Buddhist practice in China. By the 8th century, Chinese Buddhism reached its mature form with its two main theoretical schools of Tien-tai and Hua-yen, together with its two popular schools of Pure Land and Ch'an (Japanese: Zen). These sinicized forms of Buddhism began their spread to Korea mainly from the 4th century on and commenced spreading to Japan from the middle of the 6th century. Although some important Buddhist development occurred a century earlier, Buddhism began to be strongly cultivated in Tibet in the eigth centurry. In this century Indian and various Sinitic Buddhist developments collided in a debate held by the Tibetan king at Samyas, the first Buddhist monastery founded in Tibet. Tibetan history records that the Indian faction won this debate, and it is clear that afterwards Tibet looked to India throughout its prolonged subsequent period of importation of Buddhism. As a consequence, Tibet remains a great repository of a vast body of important literature which later perished in India itself. From Tibet, Buddhism was afterward spread into Mongolia and throughout the Himalayan region.
Buddhist leadership nonetheless has continued to press for freedom and democracy, for peace and non-violence, as these will be the best safeguard for the natural human wish to avoid suffering.
Reciprocally, we must explore how Confucianism is today a pillar for the wisdom of humankind.
1) The impact of globalization on materialism and spirituality in ancient civilizations such as China and India.
2) The notion of materialism and spirituality within the Chinese traditional philosophies. Should there be a stronger emphasis on idealism or realism? For instance, Muo Zi was rather functional, he focused on the detailed and practicality. Whereas Confucius was more of an idealist, his influential principle was "to cultivate oneself; to regulate one's family; to manage the state; to bring peace to the world."
3) Looking at the material and spiritual culture from the historical and religious perspective. Why is the 21 st century known as the age of "cultural-clash?" What is the cause of such conflicts? As our forefathers were led by the power of religious beliefs, our generation is mainly linked by the fragmented messages spread through the mass media. The thirst for a spiritual guidance, for a sense of belonging is greater than ever, yet we have only ourselves to depend on. Here the importance of contact and communication would enter, joining the two major subjects.
Buddhism commenced in Northeast India about 500 B.C. through the teaching of Siddhartha Gautama, often known subsequent to his experience of "enlightenment" as Sakyamuni. It is estimated that today there are a little over 250 million Buddhists in the world. In the U.S.A. alone there are about 5 million, the majority of whom are Asian immigrants or their descendants. However, in recent years, numerous Americans of English and European descent have also adopted Buddhism.
From India by way of Central Asia, Buddhism began its penetration into China around the 1st century C.E. There it encountered the already developed systems of Confucianism and Taoism. The latter in particular provided the terminology and numerous seemingly analogous concepts for subsequent centuries of effort devoted to the translation of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese and the establishment of Buddhist practice in China. By the 8th century, Chinese Buddhism reached its mature form with its two main theoretical schools of Tien-tai and Hua-yen, together with its two popular schools of Pure Land and Ch'an (Japanese: Zen). These sinicized forms of Buddhism began their spread to Korea mainly from the 4th century on and commenced spreading to Japan from the middle of the 6th century. Although some important Buddhist development occurred a century earlier, Buddhism began to be strongly cultivated in Tibet in the eigth centurry. In this century Indian and various Sinitic Buddhist developments collided in a debate held by the Tibetan king at Samyas, the first Buddhist monastery founded in Tibet. Tibetan history records that the Indian faction won this debate, and it is clear that afterwards Tibet looked to India throughout its prolonged subsequent period of importation of Buddhism. As a consequence, Tibet remains a great repository of a vast body of important literature which later perished in India itself. From Tibet, Buddhism was afterward spread into Mongolia and throughout the Himalayan region.
Buddhist leadership nonetheless has continued to press for freedom and democracy, for peace and non-violence, as these will be the best safeguard for the natural human wish to avoid suffering.
Reciprocally, we must explore how Confucianism is today a pillar for the wisdom of humankind.
1) The impact of globalization on materialism and spirituality in ancient civilizations such as China and India.
2) The notion of materialism and spirituality within the Chinese traditional philosophies. Should there be a stronger emphasis on idealism or realism? For instance, Muo Zi was rather functional, he focused on the detailed and practicality. Whereas Confucius was more of an idealist, his influential principle was "to cultivate oneself; to regulate one's family; to manage the state; to bring peace to the world."
3) Looking at the material and spiritual culture from the historical and religious perspective. Why is the 21 st century known as the age of "cultural-clash?" What is the cause of such conflicts? As our forefathers were led by the power of religious beliefs, our generation is mainly linked by the fragmented messages spread through the mass media. The thirst for a spiritual guidance, for a sense of belonging is greater than ever, yet we have only ourselves to depend on. Here the importance of contact and communication would enter, joining the two major subjects.
Education and Information Technology
40 percent of the world population (primarily in rural areas), have rich histories and aspire to superpower status, share a border with contended territory, have growing middle classes that are an important global market, and are major producers and polluters. China and India have very different political and economic systems, but both have assigned high priority to information technology and the Internet, and the Internet may play a pivotal role in the development of the relationship between the two nations. Their differences act as an experiment, shedding light on Internet diffusion and development in general. India and China are home to a large percentage of the world's impoverished people. If the Internet is to improve the state of human development, it must succeed in India and China.
India’s fastest growing and most profitable service sector is high technology—this in a land where little more than 1 percent of people own a personal computer and 50,000 villages lack even a single telephone. India views its skill in IT, not just as the basis for a profitable export industry, but as a force multiplier to improve its military and—by making India an indispensable component of the global high-tech economy—a route to greater influence in world affairs. India wants to be a Great Power, and IT is the tool by which it hopes to achieve that goal. Indian planners believe they have a good chance—and in this they are correct—because the tiger has two assets that the dragon to the North cannot match: Thanks to long British rule, English is a native language spoken by virtually every educated Indian; by 2010, India will have the largest population of English speakers in the world, overtaking the United States. And during the 1990s, India built one of the world’s largest infrastructures for technical education. Indian universities graduate about 70,000 computer scientists and engineer each year, plus a host of physicians, geneticists, and other high-tech specialists. As a result, India is now home to the second-largest population of English-speaking scientists, engineers, and technicians in the world; it turns out more of them each year than the rest of the world combined. According to some of their American peers, India’s geneticists are capable of world-class research, while its best computer scientists are on a par with those of Silicon Valley.
Even its average "techies" are more than good enough. There are estimated 5,000 information-technology software and service companies in India. About 40 percent are multinational firms with operations in India; the rest are domestic players. The Indian software industry alone aims to export more than $50 billion worth of product by 2008. In all, IT adds more than 3 percent to India’s GDP.
The well-respected analysts at IDC India predict that the total Indian IT market, both domestic and export, will grow at a rate of nearly 28 percent annually between 2002 and 2006.
The hottest segment of the industry now is outsourcing, taking on functions such as telephone support and payroll processing for companies in the United States and Europe. Somewhere between half and two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies now outsource IT-related services to India, and most of the rest at least intend to experiment with outsourcing. At that, Indian IT planners are probably disappointed. In 1999, they set a goal of outsourcing software programming for at least 400 of the Fortune 500 no later than 2004. They probably will not have long to wait. An estimated 3.5 million American jobs will migrate to Indian outsourcing firms by 2015.
Thoughts on education: a society's growth is and will always be related to the aid of education. Not only is learning a significant stage in a lifetime, it represents a generation's direction and pace. The difference between one country and the other usually relies on their teaching methods, thus we must stand from our society's point of view – whether it's democracy or a restraint on freedom, one thing is clear – it brings hope for a better tomorrow.
India’s fastest growing and most profitable service sector is high technology—this in a land where little more than 1 percent of people own a personal computer and 50,000 villages lack even a single telephone. India views its skill in IT, not just as the basis for a profitable export industry, but as a force multiplier to improve its military and—by making India an indispensable component of the global high-tech economy—a route to greater influence in world affairs. India wants to be a Great Power, and IT is the tool by which it hopes to achieve that goal. Indian planners believe they have a good chance—and in this they are correct—because the tiger has two assets that the dragon to the North cannot match: Thanks to long British rule, English is a native language spoken by virtually every educated Indian; by 2010, India will have the largest population of English speakers in the world, overtaking the United States. And during the 1990s, India built one of the world’s largest infrastructures for technical education. Indian universities graduate about 70,000 computer scientists and engineer each year, plus a host of physicians, geneticists, and other high-tech specialists. As a result, India is now home to the second-largest population of English-speaking scientists, engineers, and technicians in the world; it turns out more of them each year than the rest of the world combined. According to some of their American peers, India’s geneticists are capable of world-class research, while its best computer scientists are on a par with those of Silicon Valley.
Even its average "techies" are more than good enough. There are estimated 5,000 information-technology software and service companies in India. About 40 percent are multinational firms with operations in India; the rest are domestic players. The Indian software industry alone aims to export more than $50 billion worth of product by 2008. In all, IT adds more than 3 percent to India’s GDP.
The well-respected analysts at IDC India predict that the total Indian IT market, both domestic and export, will grow at a rate of nearly 28 percent annually between 2002 and 2006.
The hottest segment of the industry now is outsourcing, taking on functions such as telephone support and payroll processing for companies in the United States and Europe. Somewhere between half and two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies now outsource IT-related services to India, and most of the rest at least intend to experiment with outsourcing. At that, Indian IT planners are probably disappointed. In 1999, they set a goal of outsourcing software programming for at least 400 of the Fortune 500 no later than 2004. They probably will not have long to wait. An estimated 3.5 million American jobs will migrate to Indian outsourcing firms by 2015.
Thoughts on education: a society's growth is and will always be related to the aid of education. Not only is learning a significant stage in a lifetime, it represents a generation's direction and pace. The difference between one country and the other usually relies on their teaching methods, thus we must stand from our society's point of view – whether it's democracy or a restraint on freedom, one thing is clear – it brings hope for a better tomorrow.
Role of Women in India and China
Role of Women in India and China
Gender discrimination continues to be an enormous problem within Indian and Chinese society. Together, China and India represent one third of the world’s women population. Both are enormous countries that are undergoing rapid economic, political and cultural change. In both societies women have to struggle to empower themselves, although it may be said that the process is probably harder in India. In China the influence of a Marxist ideology partly helped women to enter the public domain in a big way. In India, traditional patriarchal values are still strong and most people still feel that the women’s role is in the kitchen and to raise children. The struggle for women to liberate themselves in India often leads to violence and thousands of women have been killed over the years. In addition the bias against the female sex leads to practices like female infanticide.
Yet, in both China and India women’s groups and movements are at work at different levels enabling and empowering women. The experience gained so far in slums, villages and middle class sectors is enormous.
There is an increasing amount of career women in the China, in which men are slowly coming to accept terms such as "househusband." Is the distinctive contrast between the gender differences gradually fading away?
Gender discrimination continues to be an enormous problem within Indian and Chinese society. Together, China and India represent one third of the world’s women population. Both are enormous countries that are undergoing rapid economic, political and cultural change. In both societies women have to struggle to empower themselves, although it may be said that the process is probably harder in India. In China the influence of a Marxist ideology partly helped women to enter the public domain in a big way. In India, traditional patriarchal values are still strong and most people still feel that the women’s role is in the kitchen and to raise children. The struggle for women to liberate themselves in India often leads to violence and thousands of women have been killed over the years. In addition the bias against the female sex leads to practices like female infanticide.
Yet, in both China and India women’s groups and movements are at work at different levels enabling and empowering women. The experience gained so far in slums, villages and middle class sectors is enormous.
There is an increasing amount of career women in the China, in which men are slowly coming to accept terms such as "househusband." Is the distinctive contrast between the gender differences gradually fading away?
Environment Concerns and Water problems in India and China
Environment Concerns and Water problems in India and China
As India’s and China's economy booms, the impacts on its environment are becoming more evident. Air pollution, diminishing biodiversity, fisheries depletion, invasive species, land degradation, soil erosion, and water pollution and shortages all continue to be major problems.
Seven of the world’s ten most polluted cities are in China. Acid rain alone costs the country an estimated $13 billion per year, while air pollution cuts as much as 3 percent off China’s GDP. Coal provides nearly two/thirds of the country’s energy; carbon emissions have doubled since 1980, and by 2020 China is expected to become the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gasses. So much water is being pumped from the Yellow and Huai Rivers that they run dry for at least four months of the year; Shandong province, which produces one-fifth of China’s corn and one-seventh of its wheat, relies on the Yellow River for half the water used to irrigate its crops. There are about 50,000 miles of major rivers in China. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 80 percent already are so polluted that fish can no longer survive in them.
India’s environment, like China’s, is declining rapidly. Air, water, and land all are polluted. The countryside around many cities has been denuded of trees, which have long since been burned as firewood, and biodiversity is being lost as habitats are destroyed. About 81 percent of Indians reportedly have access to potable water. However, it is not clear that water deemed potable in India would be considered so in the developed lands, and "access" can mean the presence of a single well within walking distance. Water shortages are common, particularly in some areas where water itself is abundant, but is collected by dams and piped to distant cities. Air pollution is growing in parallel with industrial development. The amount of particulates, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides emitted from power plants and transportation in India has growth by roughly a factor of 100 since independence half a century ago. Yet, ironically, the worst air is found where cars and electricity are scarcest, in the homes of the rural poor, where women still cook over indoor fires fueled by dried animal dung.
As India’s and China's economy booms, the impacts on its environment are becoming more evident. Air pollution, diminishing biodiversity, fisheries depletion, invasive species, land degradation, soil erosion, and water pollution and shortages all continue to be major problems.
Seven of the world’s ten most polluted cities are in China. Acid rain alone costs the country an estimated $13 billion per year, while air pollution cuts as much as 3 percent off China’s GDP. Coal provides nearly two/thirds of the country’s energy; carbon emissions have doubled since 1980, and by 2020 China is expected to become the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gasses. So much water is being pumped from the Yellow and Huai Rivers that they run dry for at least four months of the year; Shandong province, which produces one-fifth of China’s corn and one-seventh of its wheat, relies on the Yellow River for half the water used to irrigate its crops. There are about 50,000 miles of major rivers in China. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 80 percent already are so polluted that fish can no longer survive in them.
India’s environment, like China’s, is declining rapidly. Air, water, and land all are polluted. The countryside around many cities has been denuded of trees, which have long since been burned as firewood, and biodiversity is being lost as habitats are destroyed. About 81 percent of Indians reportedly have access to potable water. However, it is not clear that water deemed potable in India would be considered so in the developed lands, and "access" can mean the presence of a single well within walking distance. Water shortages are common, particularly in some areas where water itself is abundant, but is collected by dams and piped to distant cities. Air pollution is growing in parallel with industrial development. The amount of particulates, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides emitted from power plants and transportation in India has growth by roughly a factor of 100 since independence half a century ago. Yet, ironically, the worst air is found where cars and electricity are scarcest, in the homes of the rural poor, where women still cook over indoor fires fueled by dried animal dung.
Themes for Discussion at the Youth Festival
This discussion board of the China-India Forum will discuss these issues:
1. Indian and Chinese Cultural and Historical Pluralism
2. Environment Concerns and Water problems in India and China
3. Role of Women in India and China
4. Education and Information Technology
5. Role of Spirituality, Materialism and Religions (Buddhism and Confucianism) in Promoting Social Harmony and Peace in globalised India and China .
6. Contact and Communication
7. Health – HIV & AIDS
1. Indian and Chinese Cultural and Historical Pluralism
2. Environment Concerns and Water problems in India and China
3. Role of Women in India and China
4. Education and Information Technology
5. Role of Spirituality, Materialism and Religions (Buddhism and Confucianism) in Promoting Social Harmony and Peace in globalised India and China .
6. Contact and Communication
7. Health – HIV & AIDS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)