Islamic nations face rising threat of AIDS

P. Parameswaran:

AIDS threatens to overwhelm many predominantly Muslim countries, whose leaders remain in a state of denial of crisis, doing little to stem the deadly problem.

In one of the most comprehensive reports on AIDS covering the Muslim world, analysts warned of serious repercussions if governments continued to ignore the crisis.

A report released by the Seattle-based think tank, the National Bureau of Asian Research, said: "If leaders continue to ignore the problem, AIDS could debilitate or even destabilize some of these societies by killing large numbers of people in the 15-to-49-year age group."

"What is especially troubling to behold is the reluctance to admit that Muslims engage in exactly those same dangerous behaviors that support the transmission and spread of HIV/AIDS elsewhere," the report said, blaming "deeply rooted cultural and religious attitudes."

"This reluctance even to recognize the problem will only accelerate the epidemic and make it more difficult for the international community to provide meaningful support and treatment."

The Muslim Face of AIDS